Destiny of the Cursed
by KatanaSabaku
Summary: "Hatake Katana", she told him, not a trace of fear in her voice or eyes. Gaara stared at her, she stared back. Their eyes met, seafoam to grey and both had the same thought. 'Interesting...'
1. Chapter 1

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 1: The Coincidence

"Hm-hum-hum-hm…" Hatake Kakashi, a jonin of Konoha, hummed a silent song while strolling down the road of peace. He was always doing this. For the villagers, he's merely enjoying an evening walk. But his friends know better. He may be lazy, to say the least, but he was very protective of his village.

He suddenly stopped, sensing a different chakra signature. Slipping a hand down his pocket for a kunai, he asked out loud. "Who's there? Show yourself." The bushes beside a tree rustled, and out came something that he didn't expect most. It was a young girl about the age of 5, with long brown hair and fading grey eyes. Her black shorts were torn and her shirt was missing a sleeve. She held a long slender sword with a golden handle with one hand, the other clutching an injured part of her stomach. She was badly bleeding as well. "Please, sir… Help m-" She collapsed face forward, and he rushed towards her as fast as lightning. He caught her just in time, her small face centimeters apart from the ground. He breathed out a sigh of relief and teleported to the hospital.

At the hospital…

"How is she?" Kakashi asked a male medic who just got out of the room. The doctor faced him. "She had a lot of injuries, and loss a fairly large amount of blood. But for a little girl, she's pretty strong. She's fine now, nothing to worry about." Kakashi took a deep breath. "Thanks." He said, before opening the room. "Wait."

He stopped, and glanced at the medic. "Hai?"

The medic hesitated. "Uh…Hatake-san, when we were cleaning her wounds, there was this sword-like birthmark on her left shoulder… Does that mean anything to you?" Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. _It is a bit familiar…_he thought. "Nope! Nothing!" he lied.

The medic sweatdropped. "Er, okay then."

Entering the room, he saw her lying peacefully in bed with a lot of bandages around her body. Beside her bed was the sword she was holding earlier. He sat on a chair, examining her. _She looks too young to be a spy…_ thought Kakashi. _But then again, she was pretty strong…_

"W-where… am I?" a small hoarse voice asked. His head snapped up, to see now intense grey eyes staring back at him. _She looks…. Wary. Not scared, but wary. Oh well…_ he decided. "Ohayo!" he greeted cheerfully, perhaps too much. The girl became startled and reached out for her sword. Kakashi put his hands up in defense. "Ah, sorry. Uh, I'm Kakashi. We met earlier. You collapsed, remember?" The girl lowered her guard and slowly nodded. "You're at a hospital. You're safe now, from whatever thing you were running away from."

The girl was silent. After a few moments, she spoke up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be such a burden." He was shocked at the way she spoke. "No, no. You weren't a burden. Not at all." He convinced. The girl looked up with sad cute eyes. "R-really?" she asked hopeful. With those eyes, he had to control himself from hugging the girl. "Yeah, of course." The girl let out a small tentative smile. "Arigatou Gozaimasu." She told him. He smiled behind his mask. "What's your name?"

"Katana." She answered simply. "Katana…?" he inquired waiting for the lastname. The girl visibly tensed, as if she wanted to avoid it. Kakashi noticed this. "It's alright not to say, after all, we only have met."

The girl nodded, silently agreeing. _Why is he so kind to me? Should I trust him?_ She looked at him. He was different. Very different indeed. His silver hair, black eyes… and that look of kindness he gave her as if she wasn't a stranger to him. The people in her village, they all judged her. But him… he was not one to look down on her with hatred. And she liked that. Inside her head she smiled and cried for joy.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!" the sudden noise made her jump. Kakashi remained calm however and spoke, "Come in."

A man wearing a cat mask appeared in the open doorway and bowed. "Hokage-sama summoned you, Hatake-san."

Kakashi nodded. "I'll be right there." And the masked man disappeared. He turned to Katana with an embarrassed expression. "Ne, Katana-chan. I need to attend a meeting. Will you be fine?" he asked as he rubbed the back of the head. "A-ah, of course, Kakashi-san." She said, not wanting to cause the man more trouble. "Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can." With that, he too disappeared, like the previous man.

At the Hokage's Office

The Mountain breeze blew down upon Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood on the balcony, waiting for a certain ninja to show up. Feeling a change in the air, he smiled. "Kakashi… What took you so long?" he teased. "Gomenasai, Hokage-sama. I had this unexpected inci-" he tried to explain, but the hokage cut him off. "Oh no, no. There's no need to explain. I know what happened." The Sandaime said. "You do?" he asked, shocked. Sarutobi laughed. "I am the Hokage, after all."

Kakashi smiled at this. "Hai." The hokage turned to face him. "This meeting is about that girl." He said with all seriousness.

"8:20…" said Katana, with her eyes closed. Then she opened one to look at the clock. It was indeed 8:20. "Two points." She smirked. She was bored and had nothing to do, nothing to play with. So, she did this. Time guessing. "Knock! Knock!" Katana's head snapped up. "Come in!" she said. Silver hair and a familiar face poked in. "Ohayo! Feeling better, Katana-chan?" Kakashi asked her. She nodded in anticipation. "Uh-huh!"

He entered and sat on the chair once again. "You look livelier compared to before." He stated. "I actually am feeling better." She answered. Awkward silence fell on them. _How am I supposed to tell her the news? 'Hey, I'm your new father by the way?' _Kakashi thought.

_What now? Is he going to leave me on my own? What am I going to do? Live on the streets? _Katana asked herself bitterly. Kakashi opened his mouth, when he heard hysterical crying and a voice begging. "Please, don't leave me! Please! I don't want to be alone anymore! I have no home! I can't go back! Please!" Katana begged him, tears flowing down her cheeks. Kakashi stared at the crying little girl, awestruck. He blinked. "A-ah?" The girl's crying worsened, thinking that he didn't want to have anything to do with her. That was when he realized it. "Ah, Katana-chan! Don't cry!" he said anxiously, trying to calm her down. "I won't leave you! I swear I won't!" he said again. The girl's sobbing subsided. "Please… don't leave." She pleaded in a small helpless voice. "I won't. I promise." Said Kakashi. He'd say anything just to keep her from crying again. He didn't know why, but it broke his heart to hear her like that. Perhaps, he really did get attached with the girl. He went towards her and sat on the side of her bed. She reached out her arms and hugged his waist. He froze. He wasn't really used to hugging. She felt so fragile and small. His heart aching, he wrapped his strong arms around her frame and hugged her back. "Shhh, it'll all be alright. Trust me, Katana. The Hokage spoke to me. He told me everything. But you don't have to worry. I'll take care of you now. As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you, okay?" He raised her chin using his index finger to see her tearstained face. Her eyes were filled with new hope and trust. "Okay." She answered weakly, tired from fighting and crying. He kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl. Let's take you to your new home now, shall we?" He didn't know what took over him to speak, let alone act like that. But he did know one thing: He would be dead before anyone could harm her again.

An apartment close to the market was where he lived. It wasn't too great nor too small. It was just right. A home that you can call cozy. He carried Katana on his back, shifting to get her more comfortable. Her eyes fluttered half-open to see the sand-colored walls in the living room. There was this soft-looking red couch, a coffee table and a small television set. They went inside the bedroom. Kakashi laid the tired girl down his bed. _Well, no choice but to take the couch now._ He thought. He started to get out the room when she whimpered. "Don't leave." She said. He hesitated. He wasn't ready for the whole thing. It was all fast.

_**Flashback:**_

"_What do you think, Kakashi?"_

"_Hokage-sama, it's too much to ask. I cannot handle that on my own."_

"_Very well then. I'll send her to the orphanage right a—"_

"_The orphanage? Hokage-sama, you can't do that!"_

"_But no one will take care of her, Kakashi. What should I do, hm?"_

"_I— I'll do it. I'll take care of her. "_

_The hokage smiled. "I knew you would. From this day forward, she is no longer Katana Yotsuki, but Katana Hatake of Konoha."_

_Kakashi sighed._

"_You are dismissed."_

_**End of flashback**_

"Alright." He answered with a shrug. Katana moved over one side of the bed, so he could slide. When he got comfortable, he turned the lights off. "Goodnight, Katana-chan." He mumbled, wrapping a protective arm around her. "Goodnight, Kakashi-san." She said back. Kakashi cocked his head to the side. "It's okay not to be formal." He said softly. Grey eyes looked up to him. "Then, can I call you Tou-san?" He smiled. "Of course..."

After 7 years...

It was a peaceful morning in Konoha. The sky was clear, a great day to start the Chuunin Exams. Katana was taking a walk down the road of life. She wore a smile on her face, her intense grey eyes alert, long brown hair swaying with the wind. Black shirt and pants, she always wore simple clothes. A pouch of shuriken around her left leg and a katana hanging loosely by her hip. "I wonder where Naruto is…" she said aloud."TEME!" a familiar scream wrecked the whole peacefulness. Katana sighed. "Looks like that answered my question." And with that she ran back to find them.

"Let go of him you fat pig!" yelled Naruto to the boy wearing thick purple make-up. Katana calmly walked towards them. As she went nearer, she saw the unfamiliar genin holding Konohamaru by the neck. Meanwhile Sakura bopped Naruto in the head for being noisy. Katana sped up. That Konohamaru was quite annoying, but she didn't want him hurt. "Heh, I hate kids. Especially the bratty ones. Makes me wanna kill 'em." The guy said. Naruto and Sakura shuddered.

"Oh well, I'm not involved." Said a blonde girl with four pigtails beside him. As he was about to punch Konohamaru, Katana beat him to it, landing a punch directly at his face, and catching the stone the hidden Uchiha threw. She glanced at Sasuke. He smirked. "Nice catch." He remarked. Katana smirked back.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun!" cooed Sakura, while Naruto looked like he wanted to throw up. Konohamaru went running fast towards Naruto, hiding behind him. The guy got up, scowling at Katana then at Sasuke. "Ah, two other more that piss me off." He hissed. "Get lost." Ordered Sasuke, making Sakura drool. "Go Sasuke!" she cheered. "Naruto-nii-san, you suck." Said Konohamaru. "What? No! I could easily defeat that guy." He said nervously. _Damn you Sasuke! _He thought.

"Get down from there so we could settle this." The guy said, taking out something wrapped in white bandage cloth. Katana raised an eyebrow. "I'll take care of this. Take care of the others." She told Sasuke. "Hey, are you even going to use Karasu?" asked the blonde girl incrediously. _What the hell is that?_ Katana asked herself.

"Kankuro… stop it." A menacing voice said. Sasuke froze. The two others tensed. Katana looked behind Sasuke. There was another boy hanging upside down on a branch, whose hair was brick-red, skin as pale as marble, black rings around his pupil-less, aquamarine eyes and a "love" kanji on his forehead. _He's certainly unique. _Thought Katana. "You're an embarrassment to our village." He told the previous guy again.

"Ga-Gaara…" greeted the "Kankuro" guy nervously. Sasuke stared at Gaara. _When did he? He's very good… _he thought as well, fear creeping down his spine. "Losing yourself in a fight, how pathetic… Why do you think we came to Leaf village?" said Gaara. Kankuro tried explaining. "Listen Gaara, they're the ones who started it and then.."

"Shut up… or I'll kill you." He threatened. Kankuro gulped. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." He started apologizing. Gaara turned to Sasuke. "Sorry about that." He said. Sasuke merely nodded. Gaara disappeared in a cloud of sand, making all of them shocked. He reappeared again, between Kankuro and the blonde girl. "We didn't come here to play around."

"I know, I know." Kankuro told him. "Let's go then."

"Wait!" called out Sakura. They stopped and looked at her. "What?" Gaara asked. "Your head protectors say that you're from Sand. But even though the Leaf and Sand are allies, it is forbidden to enter without permission. State your purpose." She said.

"Hah, don't you know anything?" remarked the blonde girl. "We are here for—"

"— the Chuunin Exams" finished Katana for her. "Am I correct?" she asked them. "Hn." The blonde grunted. Naruto looked at Katana. "Chuunin Exams?" he asked. "I'll tell you all about it later." She reassured. Sasuke got down from the tree he was hiding earlier. "Hey, what's your name?" he asked Gaara. "Sabaku no Gaara." The redhead answered. "I am also interested in your name."

"It's Uchiha Sasuke." He said with an arrogant smirk. He turned to look at Katana. "And yours?" Her eyes widened. _He wants to know my name…_

"Hatake Katana." She told him, not a trace of fear in her voice or eyes. Gaara stared at her, she stared back. Their eyes met, seafoam to grey. They both had the same thought.

_He's interesting…_

_She's interesting…_

Naruto glanced back and forth then interfered, "Hey! What about me?" he shouted. "Not interested." Said Gaara, turning around and walking away with his team. "WHAT? Hey! Come back!" he screamed.

"Dobe.." muttered Sasuke as he walked away to the opposite direction. Naruto turned his head slowly, glaring at the raven-haired boy. ""Why you…!" he mumbled before charging head-on to Sasuke. Katana sighed, tired of the same thing, same fight everytime. "Kuroi kago no jutsu!" Black electric bars shot up from the ground, closing in on Naruto, and preventing him from attacking Sasuke. "Eh? Katana-channnn!" he whined out. Katana sighed once again. "Come on, Naruto. I'll let you go if you promise not to attack that arrogant jerk over there and perhaps I'll treat you some ramen, okay?" she bargained. Naruto pumped his fist in the air like a child and grinned. "Yay, ramen, ramen, RAMEN!"

"Who are you calling an arrogant jerk?" demanded Sasuke, losing his cool demeanor. Katana released the jutsu and raced with Naruto to the Ichiraku shop, laughing.

_**End of Chapter**_

Ohayo! This is actually my first time submitting fanfiction soo... yeah. I'm still pretty nervous and I don't know if you guys would like it but please enjoy!

Truly yours, KatanaSabaku _


	2. Chapter 2 Chuunin Exams

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 2: The Chuunin Exams

After Katana treated them all for lunch, (leaving her wallet empty) they went to the place where Kakashi was going to meet them. However… After 2 painfully boring hours, he still wasn't there.

"Argh! This is so unfair!" shrieked Sakura. "Yeah, yeah!" agreed Naruto, "He always makes us wait this long!"

Katana sighed. ""He's coming real soon, I promise." Like on cue, a familiar greeting echoed in the air. "Morning!" Naruto and Sakura whirled around and screamed at the same time. "You're late again!" Sasuke only rolled his eyes.

Their sensei rubbed the back of his head. "I got lost on—" Katana cut him off. "We know, we know, the road of life. Don't you have any better excuses?" Kakashi faked to be hurt. "Kat-chan, so mean", he said then turned serious, "This may sound sudden but I nominated all four of you for the Chuunin Selection Exams." There was a sudden silence followed by a series of raised voices.

"You what?"

"What did you..?"

"You think that makes up for what you did?"

"…Hn…"

Kakashi blinked twice. "What?" he asked, acting all innocent. Then he handed over some application forms to each. Naruto took one look at it and tackled Kakashi. "I love you, Kakashi-sensei!" he shouted.

"Okay, okay, just let go of me." He stated. "This is just a nomination. Whether to take the exam or not is your choice. Those who would like to take the exams, pass the application form at room 301 by 4 p.m. tomorrow." He started to walk away when he suddenly remembered something. "You guys are the only four-man team. Even if one backs out… the other three can still take the exam." With a poof, he vanished. All of them looked at each other. "No one's… gonna back out.. right?" Katana asked hesitantly. She knew if one would back out, no one's taking the exam, no matter what Kakashi says. The two boys nodded. All eyes turned to Sakura. ""Well… Sakura?" she inquired. The pink-haired girl's head snapped up to meet their waiting faces. "Ah, of course I won't back out." She said with a smile. "Yes!" Naruto cheered.

As they walked, Katana saw that smile fade.

The next day…

There was a large crowd gathered around room 301. Everyone was murmuring amongst themselves as two mean-looking genins blocked the door.

"Please, let us in!" begged a girl, whose hair was in two buns. As she went near them, the taller of the two, hit her in the face. With a "thump", she landed on the ground. She glared at him. He smirked in return. "We're only being kind. The Chuunin Exam isn't this easy. We've failed them 3 times straight. So, how do you think you weaklings can pass this?" he challenged. Team 7 saw the whole scene and walked towards them. "I agree", Sasuke said with a smirk of his own,"but you will let us in and release that genjutsu." He ordered. "Hm, so you noticed." Said the other one. They released the genjutsu. "I bet you won't notice this!" He said, as he landed a kick on Sasuke. The Uchiha, on the other hand, prepared to deliver a kick as well. Katana saw this and sprinted towards them, planning to break them apart. When she was almost there, something green and hard bumped into her and sent her flying on the other side. She landed and on her feet and sidestepped to regain her balance. Glancing back at Sasuke, she saw a boy clad in a green jumpsuit with thick eyebrows and really round eyes holding both Sasuke's foot and his opponent's. He let them go and sighed.

"Lee", said the previous bun-haired girl who was with their other teammate, "I thought we agreed that we won't attract attention to ourselves?" she reminded him but he ignored her. Instead he walked towards Sakura. "H-hey." He greeted. Sakura turned to him. "I'm Rock Lee. You must be Sakura, right?" Sakura nodded, still confused onto where he was leading. He put on a blinding smile (quite literally) and did a thumbs-up. "Let's go out together. I'll protect you till I die!" he promised. Katana raised her eyebrows in surprise of his bold statement. Sakura, however, did not look amused. "No way. You're lame." She pointed out. Lee's heart shattered in the background. Naruto snickered. Katana frowned. "Poor guy… Sakura only has her eyes on Sasuke." She muttered to herself. She approached them, glaring at Naruto on her way. He stopped laughing. Katana tapped Lee's shoulder. "Hey", she said with a warm smile, "I'm Katana Hatake. You?" As soon as Lee's eyes landed on her face, he blushed. "Ah, I'm Rock Lee!" he energetically exclaimed. Katana giggled. _He sure recovers fast. _She thought. "Well, Lee, it's nice to meet you. I'm a friend of Sakura. So I guess we'll see you around?"

"A-ah, h-hai! Of course!" he said. Sakura dragged Naruto and Sasuke away. Katana began to follow them. Again she smiled softly, "You're a nice guy, Lee." She said and caught up with her team.

"Why do you have to do that?" asked Sakura. Katana looked at her. "Do what?" she asked. "You know, be nice. Act as if you're interested in him. I don't get it." She said. Katana flashed a grin at her friend. "That's because I am interested in him. He was nice and he seemed like a great friend." She answered. Sakura sighed. "I really don't get your ways." Katana merely chuckled.

"Guy with dark eyes… I am Rock Lee." The four of them looked back, startled. "Agh, you again!" shrieked Sakura. "Lee… what are you doing here?" asked Katana. He answered neither of the girls, only gave Katana a wink and blew Sakura a kiss. Sakura went "eeww!" and dodged it. He turned to Sasuke. "Fight me!" he challenged. Sasuke smirked. "This will be fun." He said and charged.

Katana, Sakura and Naruto still can't believe what happened earlier. Sasuke was beaten up by Lee, and then they met his sensei, who was an older version of him. Now here, Kakashi-sensei told them that if one would back out, all of the members can't take the test. Katana's eye twitched. She had a feeling it would be like that. "Anyway, enter that room and make me proud!" said Kakashi cheerfully. They smiled and nodded. Naruto entered first, followed by Sakura then Sasuke. Before Katana can step inside, Kakashi pulled her back. "Tou-san!" she protested. He sighed. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked. She looked up with pleading eyes. "Yes!"

Kakashi looked doubtful. "But what if you get hurt?" he asked. "I'll be fine." She reassured. "Tou-san, I'm not the same helpless kid you found on the roadside. I am now your daughter who is more than ready to fight and defend her village!" she declared. He stared at her and his eyes soften. "Okay. Be careful. I know you can do it."

"I won't let you down!" Those were the last words he heard from her as she disappeared behind the doors.

"Woah!" Katana was shocked. So many people in just one room. Genins from Leaf, Sand, Sound, Mist, Rock… they were all there!

"INO-PIG!"

"FOREHEAD!"

Katana groaned. Seeing the Rookie 9 huddled in a corner, she went towards them. "Hey guys!" she greeted. "Hi Katana-chan! I didn't know you'd be here." greeted back Kiba, slightly blushing. "What's with the nice attitude, Kiba? Just now you were saying you'd beat us all!" said Naruto, making the others laugh. "Why you!" Kiba hissed at him and they began to chase each other. "Looks like all of us are gonna take the test. It just makes it more troublesome." Muttered Shikamaru.

"You guys should be more quiet." An older voice reprimanded. He was older than the others, his clothes were violet and he had silver hair. "And you are?" asked Ino coldly. "I'm Kabuto." The guy said. "I have something to share with you rookies." He took out something he called "nin-info cards" and they gathered around him. Only Katana didn't join them. She studied the guy's face intently. _He sure looks suspicious… _

"Show me Rock Lee and Gaara no Sabaku." Hearing those names, Katana snapped out of her thoughts. She threw herself on Sasuke's back and peeked. "Wait! Lemme see!" she said childishly. "Ow, get off!" Sasuke complained. She paid no attention.

"Rock Lee. He's a year older. 20 D-rank and 12 C-rank missions. His sensei is Gai. Teammates: Hyuuga Neji and TenTen."

"Gaara of the Desert. 8 C-rank and a B-rank mission. He returned from all of them without a scratch."

"What?" all of them chorused. "Hah, don't be so surprised. This test... isn't something you can joke about." Kabuto walked away.

"I-it makes y-you l-lose co-confid-dence d-doesn't it?" Hinata stuttered out. Katana looked down at the floor. _No scratches, huh? I wonder…_

"I AM UZUMAKI NARUTO!" _Oh shit…_

"AND I WON'T LOSE TO ANY OF YOU BASTA—" Katana had her hand clamped on the noisy boy's mouth, shushing him completely. "Are you _damn insane?_" she hissed out. She then realized that everyone was looking at them, mostly glaring. Even Sakura was glaring.

"Ehehe, sorry everyone!" Katana apologized, embarrassed. "Please ignore him! He's quite stupid!" she laughed out nervously. Sakura marched towards them. As soon as she was in front of them, Katana let go of Naruto and muttered, "He's all yours." Eyes still followed Katana when she walked away from them. She glanced at the crowd and her eyes met someone's eyes. Pupil-less, aquamarine eyes. No doubt, it was from Gaara. She blushed. Why was he staring at her like that?

After a few moments, the examiner of the first test finally showed up with a big explosion. Introducing himself as Morino Ibiki, he immediately laid down rules such as no killing, no fighting and no violence. When we were all sitting down, he said,"This is a written test. We will now hand out the papers." Katana looked back at Naruto. _Yepp, he's sweating…_she thought in defeat. Basically, they will all have 10 points to start with. Every time they answer incorrectly, they lose a point. And every time they are caught cheating, they will lose 2 points. Katana raised an eyebrow. _So you are allowed to cheat, but not allowed to get caught… It's not only the points they count… It's the skill of getting information secretly and silently as a ninja. _She observed.

"Furthermore…" said the examiner, "those who do not answer any questions correctly will fail along with his teammates."

Katana, Sakura and Sasuke began to panic. Naruto sweated even more. All of them thought the same thing. "_WE'RE DOOMED!"_

The test was very easy for Katana and Sakura. Sasuke somehow found a way to know answers to the difficult questions. 13 groups were already eliminated. The remaining ones were now waiting for the last question. "Now…" bellowed the examiner, "we will begin the tenth question."

Everyone was all ears. "I'd like to add some more rules, of course." Said the examiner. "These are rules of desperation. First, choose whether to take it or not." _Choose? Why is he making us choose?_

"If you choose not to take it… You fail!" stated. A murmur rose from the crowd. "Of course, we'll take it!" He raised his hand and everyone fell silent. He continued speaking, "If you take it… and answer incorrectly, then you will lose your right to take the chuunin exam again!" They were all shocked. "What kind of a rule is that?" someone shouted. "Last year they were allowed to repeat!" screamed another one. He smirked. "Well, you guys were unlucky, weren't you? This year, it's my rules." Katana thought it was unfair. "Those who aren't confident enough, can choose not to take it… and try next year." He had a menacing smile plastered on his face. "Now all those who won't take it, raise your hand." Slowly, some ninjas took the bait. They began raising their hands and quitted. _Naruto… why are you still not raising? If we fail in here… then you can't have your dream come true! _Katana slowly decided to raise a shaky hand. She glanced at Sakura… She was doing the same thing! Katana smiled and looked at Naruto. Her eyes widened. _WHAT?_

He was raising his hand! Both Sakura and Katana's hand stopped mid-air. Then something unexpected happened. "Don't dare underestimate me! I won't run!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. He slammed down his hand, hard. His teammates smiled. "I will ask you again… This is your last chance to quit." He said. Katana stood up with him. "We won't." she answered with a confident smile.

The examiner's creepy grin was replaced by a soft smile. "Then, to the remaining people in here… I congratulate you on passing the first test!" he declared. It was surprising, but at least it was pleasant. Everybody cheered.

A loud "CRASH!" and shattering ceased those happy sounds. "Mitarashi Anko, Second examiner. Everyone follow me!"

_**End Chapter **_


	3. Chapter 3 Encounter with Gaara

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 3: Encounter with Gaara

_I knew it was a big mistake to sign that form! _

Katana jumped from branch to branch, trying to get away from whatever it was chasing her. _I mustn't get caught! _She knew she would eventually tire out. _I refuse to die here! _Signing that form would mean signing in for death.

_What do I DO?!_

She had the heaven scroll with her when she got separated from the others. Right now, she had the earth scroll. She lost her previous heaven scroll to a grass-nin bully, and got her current scroll by accident.

_**Flashback: **_

"_Scroll Battle", said the examiner, "half of the 26 teams would get an earth scroll while the other half gets a heaven scroll. There is a tower in the middle of the forest. You have 5 days to get there… with both heaven and earth scrolls!"_

_Everybody gasped. "13 teams are sure to be eliminated…" they all thought. "These are what will disqualify you: 1__st__, if you have both scrolls yet did not reach the time limit. 2__nd__, if you lose a teammate or if one of you gets killed. There would be deaths on this one. Please sign this form." She gave them one each. "What is this for?" asked Naruto. The examiner smirked. "So that if anyone dies… I will not be responsible." _

_She began to signal the start. "Oh! And, you must not look inside the scroll. If anyone does… they get a special surprise." She winked. Katana shuddered in fear. She surely didn't like the sound of that._

"_Last Piece of Advice: Don't Die."_

_All teams got ready in front of their respective gates. "On your mark, get set, GO!" And off they went._

"_Naruto, watch out!" yelled Katana as she tackled him in the ground. Shuriken, kunais, and a paper bomb hit the tree in front. "Why didn't you—"she began to ask incredulously when she saw that it wasn't Naruto she saved. "Hey little girl." Grinned the grass lunatic. _

"_You…!" her eyes narrowed and with fast hands, she punched the guy straight in the face. "Ack!" he yelped. She ran away as fast as her legs would take her. "The scroll!" she thought aloud and began searching for it in her bag. There was indeed a scroll, but it was a different one. _

"_GET BACK HERE, BRAT!"_

_**End Flashback**_

Something hard and cold hit Katana's leg and sent her stumbling forward. Clenching her teeth in frustration and pain, she tried to stand up but failed miserably. "Well, well. I finally caught my prize, didn't I?" Heavy footsteps echoed through out the whole area. _You need to protect the others…Can't die yet…_she reminded herself.

The grass-nin pulled sharply at the shuriken on her leg, causing the wound to bleed even more. "Ahh!" she screamed in agony. _Calm down…_He laughed. "How 'bout I end your suffering, right here, right now?" He slowly made his way towards her. _Just need the right timing…_

"Thud…"

_1... _

"thud…"

_2…_

"thud…"

_3… _

"Goodbye…"

_NOW!_

"Dendou Tsume! (Electric Claw)" shouted Katana as she turned around to face the guy. "Gyaaahhh!" a bone chilling scream was heard from his mouth. Clutching his burnt face, he cursed. Katana saw her chance and crawled away from her attacker. Unfortunately, she was prevented by a large hand. "You're not going anywhere…" growled the ninja and was about to plunge a kunai on her stomach when he suddenly stopped and went pale. His eyes widened.

Katana's breathing went shallow. _What happened? _She asked herself. The guy holding her was dragged down to his knees and into a whirling pool of sand. "Help…me…" was all he could choke out before he was enclosed in sand. "Sabaku Kyuu!" The sand casing exploded, along with bits of flesh and blood. Katana stood there, awestruck and horrified at the same time. "Are you okay?" a calm, monotone voice asked her.

She looked up. "Gaara…" she sighed and let out a smile. He didn't reply. Instead, he made the sand move and it gave her something. She reached out and looked at her hand. "A scroll…" she said aloud. "Don't you want it?" she asked him. He stared. "I already have both." He answered. She tilted her head on one side. "Then why… did you kill that guy and help me out?" she asked again. He shrugged. "He looks annoying." He replied nonchalantly.

Katana blinked twice. "Oh… well then." She tried to stand up, but once again failed. "Still, thank you for your help." She smiled. His eyes widened. "…What did you say?" he asked. His teammates, who were watching all along, froze in fear. Katana didn't understand what they were so scared of. "I said 'thank you', because you helped me?" she reminded him.

Gaara couldn't understand as well. No one ever thanked him before. They'd just run away. Others would cry and call him monster. But this girl… she even thanked him? "Why didn't you kill that guy?" Gaara asked her. She met his eyes and grinned. "I don't like killing people, especially if I could avoid it.

"Anyway", said Katana, "I'd better get going. I have to find my team." She forced herself to stand, pain hitting her in the knee. She winced visibly and her breath was released in pants. Gaara noticed her bloodied leg. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" he asked. She forced a smile. "I'll be… f-fine. J-just fine." She answered weakly. "Temari." Said Gaara. His blonde companion suddenly snapped. "H-hai?" she asked. "Clean her wounds." He ordered. "Ahh, h-hai… G-gaara."

He walked away and left his companions with her. As soon as he left, the two others, Temari and Kankuro, circled her. Temari positioned herself facing Katana's leg. "Geez…", she sighed, " for a minute, I thought he was going to kill me." Kankuro nodded in agreement with her. "You were the girl who punched me, weren't you?" he asked, none-too-happy. Katana nodded. "Why are you so scared of him?" she asked them. They gave her weird looks.

"Didn't you see what he just did? He killed a guy without even putting effort into it." Kankuro said as a matter of fact. "What's new with that?" muttered Temari as she healed Katana. "He's been like that since we're kids."

"Oh? You guys were childhood friends?" Katana inquired. Both Temari and Kankuro laughed. "Childhood friends? Hah, I wouldn't be one to get caught even speaking to him!" she said. "Then… what's your relation with Gaara?" she asked. "It seems like you know a lot about him."

Kankuro answered for Temari. "We're his older siblings." He answered. Katana's eyebrows raised in shock. "You're brothers and sisters?" she exclaimed. They nodded. "All done." Said Temari and helped Katana stand up in her own feet. "Thanks." She said. Temari shook her head.

"No… thank you."

Katana looked at her. "Why?" The blonde smiled. "It's the first time Gaara helped someone out. You're lucky." With that, they jumped off. She stared at them, and then stared at the scroll she was holding. She took out her earth scroll. The one she was holding was heaven. She smirked. "Bingo."

* * *

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" asked Sakura as she rushed to his side. Ino was supporting Lee, while Shikamaru and Chouji were awaking Naruto up using… a branch. Neji and Tenten were up above. "Why doesn't anyone still notice me?" Katana sweat dropped. "Someone's here." Said Neji. She sighed and came out of the bushes.

"Stop." Ordered Shikamaru. Katana raised her hands in defense. "Hatake Katana, 12 years old, brown hair, grey eyes, and a sword birthmark on my left shoulder. Favorite weapon: my sword. Enough proof?" she asked. Shikamaru's worry left him. "So it is really you." Katana gave him a look that said,"duh". She looked at Sakura. "S-sakura-chan!" she pointed a shaky finger, "your hair!"

The pink-haired girl smiled at her. "I just thought a little change would do me good." Katana stared at the others. "I sense that a fight happened?" she asked nobody in particular but Ino nodded. "What happened to Rock Lee?" Katana went towards him. Ino laid him down in the ground. "He's out cold…" muttered Katana, brushing black hair off his forehead. TenTen went down. "I'll take it from here." She told Katana.

The brunette scooted aside. Tenten took his shoulders on both her hands and shook him repeatedly. "LEEEE! Wake up, baka!" she yelled. Ino and Katana sweat dropped. "Hmm… Tenten, why are you here?" She glared at the boy. "Neji and I came to save you! Why didn't you stick with the plan?" she asked. "Sakura needed help." He answered, and Tenten decided not to push it any further.

"Hey, Lee-kun…" greeted Katana with a smile. Lee's attention was caught and he glanced at her. "Ah! Katana-ch—" before he could even finish, she surprised him with a hug. "Thanks for saving my team." She said. Lee blushed. "No problem." "HEY, it's thick brows!" shouted Naruto happily. Lee winced at the harsh nickname. Katana released Lee and frowned at Naruto. "Naruto… you're not supposed to—"

A chakra-fused punch was thrown at Naruto. "BAKA! How dare you be rude to Lee-san!" screamed the infuriated Sakura. She faced Lee. "Lee-san, thank you. With what you did, I feel like I've learned a lot from you." Lee's eyes became moist. "I need to work harder." He sniffed. "Sasuke-kun", he started to say, "You were incredible to drive off those sound-nins. The Uchiha Clan is great as expected. I got my butt kicked." He said, disappointed at himself.

He faced Sakura again, "Sakura-san… the lotus blooms twice. The next time we meet, I will get stronger, I promise." Sakura smiled. Ino called Sakura over to fix her hair. Meanwhile, Katana called Sasuke and Naruto. They huddled in a small circle. "Hey, look what I got while I was away." Said Katana as she showed the two scrolls. Their eyes widened. "How did you—" they began to ask but Katana shushed them.

"Keep quiet!" she reminded. "I got it from a grass-nin." She answered. "We have to head to the tower as fast as possible." She told them.

* * *

Two days later…

"Thank goodness!" Sakura breathed out a sigh of relief. They entered the tower. An incomplete note was written in a board above. "I… I think it's a sign that we should open the scrolls." Said Sakura. All four looked at each other. They all nodded in silent agreement. Naruto had one and Sasuke held the other. They held their breath as they slowly opened it. The scrolls began to smoke. "Summoning Jutsu! Quick, drop it!" shouted Katana. The smoke faded after a moment. "You…"

"Hey!" greeted an all-too-familiar chuunin teacher: Iruka-sensei! "Long time no see!" he smirked. "How are my top students?" he asked. Three of them smiled. "And what about you, Mr. Last?" he turned to Naruto. Naruto scolwed. "You're always so mean, sensei!" he protested. "Anyway… Congratulations to the 4 of you. You passed the 2nd test!" he announced. Naruto pounced on him, Katana fell on the ground laughing happily, Sakura danced around and Sasuke remained calm, but it was easy to see that soft glint in his eyes.

"The third and final test… Please don't push yourselves too hard into it." Said Iruka-sensei softly. Katana seemed to read Iruka's mind. As he showed them the way to for the next test, Katana remained with him. "Iruka-sensei…" she started seriously, "there's something I want to tell you." Iruka stared at her. "Go ahead." He told the young girl. She took a deep breath. Her grey eyes bore into his brown ones. "I know you think we won't pass." She said.

He looked shocked. He was about to say something, but she continued, "But you're wrong Iruka-sensei. Kakashi-sensei may have been hasty on nominating us but he trained us well and he knows our limitations. He won't give us something we can't handle." Iruka stared, eyes wide. "And most of all… why should you doubt the students who never have failed to impress you before?" she asked him. He couldn't believe it was Katana talking. It was like he was talking with the Hokage.

"It may be Kakashi-sensei who trained us hard, but you were the one who taught us never to give up! To never doubt ourselves and to always risk our lives for the sake of our village!" she ended her speech with a proud look in her eyes. Iruka's calm composure faded and was replaced by the old soft him. He signaled for Katana to go nearer. She obeyed. He patted her head and gently hugged the girl. Katana hugged him back. "You just have to trust us, Sensei." She said gently. Iruka nodded and smiled. "Of course!"

Katana went inside and joined her teammates in line. They were still 22 left. Only 7 teams passed. She looked around. _Lee's here… the sound nin trio…Kabuto… Kiba, Hinata, Shino… Hmm, Ino-Shika- Chou is still here. _She looked to her left. _Gaara... All rookie 9 are here too. It's harder than I expected. _She thought miserably. In front was the Hokage and the jounin teachers as well. She saw Kakashi-sensei stare at her. She stared back. This was how they communicated. There was no need for words. Suddenly he smiled and winked. Katana grinned back. _Thank you, Tou-san…_

Now she had more confidence. The Hokage started explaining the third test. A referee introduced himself as Hayate. He began talking and coughing and all, everyone thought he was sick. He said something about a preliminary test that decides who gets to fight in the main event. "Why do we need a preliminary test?" asked Sakura the guy.

"There is too many who passed this year. Perhaps the 1st and 2nd tests had been too easy. According to the Chuunin Exam rules, we must have a preliminary and reduce the number of participants." Then, he looked at all of us. "Those who don't feel good, who want to quit please step forward. We will immediately begin the preliminary." Everybody was shocked.

"Right now?!" shouted Kiba.

"Yes." Answered the referee calmly. There was a moment of silence. Then someone spoke up, "I quit." They all turned to see who it was. "K-Kabuto-san!" Naruto said. "You may leave." The referee told him. He gladly did so. "Anyone else?" asked he. "Why are you quitting?!" shrieked Naruto to Kabuto, tears brimming on his eyelids. Gaara glared at the noisy boy. Naruto looked crestfallen. All Kabuto can do was to smile sadly at him.

He waved them a goodbye before leaving. Sakura noticed Sasuke shivering. "The mark still hurts, doesn't it?" she asked bitterly. Sasuke only flinched. "Sasuke-kun…" she said, "Please quit." Sasuke, Naruto and Katana glanced at her, surprised. "Please, Sasuke-kun… I'm afraid." She begged, tears forming. "You are in no condition to fight!" she added, her voice getting louder. "Shut up." Muttered Sasuke.

Katana glanced from one to another. _What mark?_

"You've been hiding the pain all this time! I'm telling sensei!" she told him. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He grabbed her hand to prevent her from going. "This is none of your concern. Stay out of my business." He hissed coldly. Naruto and Katana were speechless. "I need to get stronger. And only by fighting these guys, could I get that strength." He emphasized the fighting part. Katana glared at him and wrapped a protective arm around her friend.

"What's with you, Sasuke?" she asked. Sasuke smirked at her. "I also want to fight Naruto… and you." The way he said that gave Katana the creeps.

"Now I will announce the names of the first two that will fight." Declared the referee. Everyone looked up above at the electric scoreboard. Two names were there: Uchiha Sasuke VS Akado Yoroi. Sasuke went to the center. So did his opponent. And the fight began.

**End Chapter**


	4. Chapter 4 Caught in Between

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 4: Caught in between

After Sasuke won the first fight, many others followed. Most of the Konoha genins passed. The referee cleared his throat. "Next up is Chouji Akimichi VS Dosu Kinuta." The sound-nin smirked. "I'll get back for what you Konoha brats did to Zaku." Smirked he. Chouji shuddered, seeing his opponent. His team cheered for him as he went down, but it didn't change the fact that he was likely to lose. He faced his opponent. Dosu was grinning like a lunatic at him. Chouji raised his arm hastily. The referee regarded him. "Yes?" Chouji gulped hard. "I forfeit." He choked out, scarred for life. Dosu began to laugh evilly, watching him run back to his team. "Winner, Dosu Kinu—"

"Wait!" said Hokage-sama. The referee turned. "He will not win yet. We have decided to let him fight against someone: Hatake Katana." Kakashi became alarmed and serious. "Ho-hokage-sama?" he asked incredulously. But the hokage held out a firm hand. Kakashi can only sigh, watch and hope that his Katana would win… or at least, come back unharmed. Katana, on the other hand, couldn't hold back her excitement. _Finally! _She thought. Not wanting to waste a minute longer, she hopped up on the rail and jumped down. Landing gracefully on her feet, she walked towards her opponent in long confident strides. "Begin!" said the referee. Dosu immediately threw kunais and shuriken in her direction. She dodged each one and drew her katana.

She charged, slashing him with it. It caught a bit of his shoulder, and a gash was formed. They jumped off in opposite directions and stared at each other. "You're good." Praised Dosu. Katana nodded a thank you. Then he smirked," But I'm better, of course." Katana felt her cheek sting. She touched it and looked at her hand: blood. He was better than she took him for. Kakashi immediately saw the wound. "Katana!" he shouted from above, catching her attention. She smiled at him and waved. "I'm fine, Tou-san!" she replied. Going back on the fight, she positioned herself on a battle stance. He did the same. "That your dad?" asked Dosu slyly as he charged. Katana welcomed his attack gladly. "Yeah. Why?" she asked. "'Cuz I know who your real father is…" he stated, and then tried to punch her in the face.

She dodged once again, her face nearing to his. She balled her fist and got ready to attack when, "…Katana Yotsuki." Whispered Dosu. Her eyes widened at the mention of the name, and her muscles froze in place. "Wha—" Dosu hit her straight and sent her crashing on the ground. She felt her head spin as she tried to stand up. Her hands sweated terribly and she was shivering. She breathed heavily and tried to focus. However, Dosu continued to mock her. "That's right. I know who you really are." She ignored his little irritating comments. She charged once again, this time doing a jutsu. "Dendou Tsume!" she shouted and aimed. "You're the cursed child of Kumogakure." Snickered the sound-nin. Katana missed her target, "Damn!"

"Vibrating Sound Drill!" yelled Dosu. Sound waves bounced off and some were dangerously near to Katana's ears. She covered her ears with her hands but she was too late. Blood oozed from her ear canal and she dropped on her knees, shaking visibly. "Guuh!" Her head was throbbing painfully now. Meanwhile, above Kakashi was getting worried. When Dosu hit her for the first time, he wanted to jump right in but Gai stopped him. Lee had his hands together, silently praying for Katana's safety and victory. Gaara had his eyes glued on her, sometimes glaring at her opponent. He didn't know why he felt so concerned for her. Katana wheezed, trying to regain her sense of balance. She wanted to cry for help but knew that she couldn't. Kakashi can't help her right now. This was her fight. Dosu encircled her, walking slowly around like a predator studying its prey. "Who knew that you got all the way here to Konoha and even survived?" he mocked, "Tsk, tsk. Your father must've hated you a lot." As soon as she heard those words, hatred entered her pure heart. A black aura started forming around her body, but Dosu ignored it and continued on making fun of her.

Her team and the jounins however paid a lot of attention to it. They began to murmur amongst themselves on what could possibly happen. "That…." Mumbled Kakashi. "What is that?" asked Gai, his eyes widening. "Her curse is activated." Answered Kakashi softly and regretfully. He looked away not bearing to watch another minute. "Lucky brats like you don't deserve to live!" yelled Dosu and prepared to strike her, but something prevented him. Looking down, he saw his foot was blocking by Katana's arm. More black chakra surrounded her. "You have no right to tell me what I deserve…." She spat out venomously, grey eyes turning into black and gold. She stood up. Dosu was frozen with fear. What was this enormous chakra that held him in place? "Kuroi Kago!" said Katana. With a flick of her wrist, Dosu was trapped inside a black cage. "Junsei Kurayami (Pure Darkness)!" Black fumes were released inside the cage. He began to cough, not being able to breath. Katana decided to end it. "Kuroi Kujo (Black Extermination)." The cage began to compress tighter and tighter until it only fit Dosu. "Gahhh!" he screamed in agony. Any more would kill him. Hearing him scream for help, Katana felt pity. She released the jutsu and her eyes changed back to normal. Dosu fell on the ground with a thud as his body racked. Eyes wide with fear, he pointed a shaky finger accusingly at her. "She… She's a freak!" he shouted. "A monster!" Katana was taken aback. The medics began to drag him out of the ring. "A monster!" yelled Dosu louder. "Winner, Hatake Katana." Said the referee. She went up. She knew she was supposed to be happy, but why is it that she felt sick, guilty and depressed? As she walked slowly towards her team, they cheered. "That was great, Katana-chan!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I didn't know you were that strong, Katana-chan!" added Sakura. Katana paid no attention to her teammates. Instead, she kept walking towards Kakashi. He looked like he was about to pass out. "Katana-chan…" he mumbled. Her half-lidded eyes closed and she fainted, face forward. A sudden deja `vu hit Kakashi and he caught her just like 7 years before. He smiled softly and carried her out of the stadium. Katana's eyes fluttered open. "Tou-san…" Kakashi glanced at her. "You're awake." He said gladly. Tears brimmed her eyes. "T-tou-san… I'm so sorry." She said, and buried her face on his chest. She cried silently, letting tears flow down. "You did nothing wrong." Said Kakashi, comforting her. "B-but, I almost killed that guy!" she exclaimed, but he hushed her. "Like I said, it's not your fault." He repeated and winked. Her expression softened. "I'm okay now… Let's go back inside." She stated. He nodded and followed behind. Going back in, Katana immediately saw Lee and Gaara glaring daggers at each other. "Oh no…" she muttered. "Hm? Something bothering you?" asked Kakashi.

She panicked, looking away from the two. "Eh, n-nothing!" she denied, but he caught that blush on her face. He sighed inwardly. _She's growing up so fast… _he thought. "Next match: Uzumaki Naruto VS Inuzuka Kiba!"

The team looked at the shouting hyper blonde. "Yay! Yay! I'm next! Woo Hoo!" They sweat dropped. "Naruto!" shouted Katana and got his attention. He swiftly faced her and saluted. He knew when she used that strict tone, you better listen. Kakashi and Sakura looked back and forth quizzically. "1. Focus! Don't allow yourself to be distracted. 2. Don't be hasty and plan your actions! And last…. " she smiled softly. "Don't get killed." And hugged him. Naruto seemed to be dazed, but he hugged her back happily. "Thanks Katana-chan." Now he went down. She turned to Kakashi and Sakura who were very speechless. She smirked. "I have my ways." She answered to their unsaid questions. Lee looked envious. _If I don't go next… _he thought, _Katana-chan and Sakura-san will sure ignore me! _Both Kiba and Naruto fought bravely and harshly. Naruto seemed to lose at first, but in the end (with some accidents, of course) Naruto won. Also, he had some unexpected tricks up on his sleeve. Even Katana was impressed. Except for the part where he – never mind.

The following match was interesting as well. It was Hinata VS Neji. Everyone knew how much Neji hated the main house. And he seems to be blaming it on Hinata. "Losers will stay as losers. You cannot change yourself." He pressed it on further on her. The poor girl looked like she wanted to cry. Katana was pissed, and so was Naruto. Then, Neji began to shower the girl with plenty of harsh comments, scaring and intimidating her. "You cannot change your—" Naruto shouted from above. "YOU CAN! Kick his annoying ass Hinata!" Naruto huffed angrily. Hinata's pale eyes widened in sudden realization. Her expression changed from scared into a confident demeanor. _Thank you, Naruto-kun…._she silently said. They started to fight but to Katana and the others, it looked like they were pushing each other. "What's that?" asked Naruto. "That", Gai-sensei answered, "is what we call Gentle fist. It may not look hurtful, but sooner or later, you'll see its effects." Not a moment later, Hinata spat out blood. Those who were watching from above were alarmed. "Looks like Neji hit a vital spot." Muttered Lee.

"So… using the Byakugan to see those chakra nerves and combined with the gentle fist style…The Hyuuga Clan is dangerous." Said Katana. Hinata continued to cough out more blood. But she ignored it and kept fighting, even though she knew that she'd lose. She heeded no attention to the pain. Katana realized what she was trying to do. "Hinata!" she began to shout. "Hinata, stop it!" Naruto gawked at her. "Katana-chan, are you crazy?" he asked angrily. Katana stubbornly continued her shouting. "Hinata, you're gonna die! Stop!" _Damn! She's already at her limit! _She panicked. Naruto's screaming drowned hers. "You can do it, Hinata! Don't give up!" he yelled. Katana shook with rage as she glared at Naruto. "Why do you keep pushing her? Can't you see? She's already done for!" roared Katana. "Why can't you believe in her more?" he growled back. She received a direct blow from Neji and collapsed forward. "Hinata!" both Naruto and Katana yelled. It was a direct hit on the heart. The referee spoke, "It is impossible to continue, so –" Hinata tried hard to regain her balance and stood up. Everyone couldn't believe their eyes. With an attack like that, there was no way she could've stood up! She forced herself to walk toward Neji, even though there's not much to do.

Neji's eyes narrowed in frustration and he planned to attack again when he was suddenly surrounded by the jounin teachers, even Gai-sensei. "Neji, this is enough." He told the boy. Hinata felt another wave of agony washing over her and once more, she spat out blood. Kurenai-sensei, her teacher, rushed to her side. Naruto and the others jumped in too. They put her in a stretcher and hurriedly sent her to the hospital. Neji called over our attention. "You", he told Naruto, "stop cheering others like a pathetic academy student. You cannot change you destiny." Naruto dipped his hand on Hinata's blood on the floor and faced Neji. "I will get back for what you did to Hinata!" he exclaimed as a reply. Neji kept his calm face and walked away, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, only to be met by Katana's death glare. He seemed unfazed by this. She leaned forward. "Just because you're stronger…. Doesn't mean you can tell everyone what their destiny is. You're lucky, this was a test. If we were outside and you pulled a stunt like that… consider yourself dead." She hissed. She felt him shudder under her grip. She smirked and pulled back with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Congratulations on winning, Neji!" she cheered for everyone to hear. They all went up to watch the next fight. As Katana and Naruto climbed, Kankuro called him. "Hey you! You're a funny guy, I like you." He said with a smile. Katana raised an eyebrow. "You're not funny. I don't like you." He answered back. Katana sweat dropped. _He can be seriously annoying at times…_A vein popped out of Kankuro's forehead, but he controlled his anger. "About that Neji guy…" he started but Naruto piped in. "I'm going to kick his ass!" he decided. "Nobody was asking that." Said Kankuro. Katana sighed and whispered something to him. "If you're planning to ask, then you won't get an answer." She said. Kankuro sighed in defeat. They reached the others. Suddenly, Gaara was on the ring. "You… come down here." He looked at them. _Who is he talking to? _thought Katana. Chouji screamed from the other side. _Wait… Gaara VS Chouji?_ Shikamaru and Ino looked panicked. "Safe!" said Chouji with a relieved sigh. Shikamaru and Ino bumped him on the head. "Baka!" Katana looked at the scoreboard. Gaara VS Rock Lee. "Crap…" she mumbled, turning pale. Kakashi noticed her change. "What's wrong?" She bit her lower lip. "It's nothing, Tou-san." She hesitatingly said.

She approached the now hyper Lee. "Lee…" she said in a soft tone. "Ah, Katana-chan! I'm next, isn't it great?" he asked. She stopped and thought. She didn't want to ruin his fun but if Gaara would use that technique…Before she could say anything, Lee went down. Shouts and cheers of "Go Lee!" were heard. But no one was cheering for Gaara. Katana decided that she would cheer for him. "Go!.." both boys looked at her, waiting for the name she'd say. She froze, getting nervous. _Great move… _she scolded herself mentally. _Now what? _"Go both of you!" she screamed like an idiot and made all others stare at her. Kakashi's eyes widened. "Katana…could it be that..." he trailed of, making Katana even more nervous that she was discovered. "Are the two of them freaking you out?" asked Kakashi. Katana blinked twice. "That's a stupid conclusion." She blurted out. Kakashi faked crying. "So mean, Katana-chan… So mean."

Lee charged forward, not expecting anything to harm him. How wrong he was. Sand encircled them as soon as he entered Gaara's lair. It stopped his kick and threw him to the other side. He charged once again, but all attacks were blocked by the sand. Gaara didn't even need to move a finger. Lee began to dodge the Gaara's attacks. "LEE!" Gai bellowed "Take it off!" Lee argued. "But Gai-sensei!" Gai smiled at him. "It's okay, Lee. I allow it." He did the "nice guy" pose. Lee nodded obediently. He took off his legwarmers. Underneath them were weights. Katana took a deep breath. _Taking off a bit weight won't help…_she thought miserably. Lee dropped the weights on to the floor. As soon as it came in contact, the floor had two huge craters left. Katana's eye twitched. Everybody was shocked. _It's that heavy? _They all thought. He jumped off. Katana scanned the area. _Where is he? Where is he? _A sudden kick, only inches away from Gaara's face answered her question. _Fast! _She thought. Gaara looked quite shaken. Nobody has ever been that close before. Lee kept punching and kicking hard.

The sand couldn't keep up with his fast pace. He whirled up above and sent his foot landing down on Gaara's head. Temari and Kankuro were shocked. Katana gripped hard on the railing. She wanted them to stop. It was hard for her to watch them fight like this, knowing that they could end up killing each other. A long gash was formed in Gaara's cheek. He glared at Lee. Lee glared back. "We're just getting started." He warned Gaara with a confident look on his eyes. Lee suddenly shouted, "YOSH!" and disappeared. Katana's eyes were trying hard to watch Lee. "Over here!" he shouted to Gaara. When Gaara turned, he was gone. "Here I am!" yelled Lee again. Every time Gaara whirls around, he vanishes.

"Hiyaaa!" Lee shouted as he punched Gaara straight in the face. Gaara went stumbling to the other side. Bruises started to turn purple on Gaara's face. Katana's grip on the railing became tighter. Sand poured down from Gaara's face. A crazy maniac smile appeared. Katana asked Kankuro. "What's happening to him?" Kankuro's eyes were still on Gaara. "That's the armor of Sand. Gaara's absolute defense." Katana pressed the matter further. "Then, he's undefeatable!" exclaimed Katana. "Not really…" mumbled Kankuro quietly. Based from his expression, Katana saw that he really meant it. Lee went on high speed and began to encircle Gaara on the middle. "Hurry up and come at me." Dared Gaara. "As you wish!" replied Lee, sending an upward kick. _The Lotus! _Yelled Katana's brain. Continuous kicks were given to Gaara. At some point, Lee's leg stopped and he clenched his teeth. "The excessive kicks are bad for Lee's muscles." She heard Gai-sensei say. Gaara was soon wrapped in bandage cloth with Lee. Lee held on him tight and said, "Take this!" They went down fast and crashed unto the ground. Katana flinched. Gaara was left unmoving in a pile of broken rocks and stuff.

Katana felt tears coming to her again. "Lee-san won!" cheered Sakura, not noticing Katana's reaction. Looking closely at the still body, Katana discovered something. "It's only the sand shell!" she said, making the others look closely as well. "I'm over here…" whispered someone behind Lee. "He's awakened!" yelled Kankuro to Katana. "What do you mean?" she asked. "It's the demon inside him!" he answered. Katana's eyes widened and she snapped back to Gaara. _He's…He's a jinchuuriki! _Sand attacked Lee and threw him to the wall. "Waaah!" he screamed. More sand came to attack. All he could do was to close his eyes and bring his arms in front of him. The grainy particles crashed into him and damaged him further. Lee couldn't dodge. His muscles ached too much and his legs were sore from the high speed. He seemed to remember something. Suddenly his fast pace was back. "Yes!" exclaimed Gai-sensei. "Now he's back again!" Katana looked at him. "What..?" Gai smirked. "The Lotus… blooms twice."

Gai hugged Lee. "Lee… you— I don't understand. Why do you keep pushing yourself? For me, you already are a good ninja." Lee's eyes closed. Gai laid him gently on the ground. Katana was the first to jump off the rail and ran to his side. "Lee…" she whispered. Seeing him in this situation, she couldn't help but cry again. She sobbed quietly, while Naruto ranted how unfair it was for Gaara to win. Then it hit her…. _Gaara…_She forgot. _Shit! _She yelled silently to herself. Turning back, she noticed him walk away. However, he looked more tensed. "Gaara!" she called. He glanced back, eyes narrowing. "What do _you _want?" he asked coldly. "Gaara…" she mumbled, biting her lip. He didn't used to this cold towards her. "I just wanted to know if you're okay… You've had a lot of bruises." She said sadly. Gaara turned his back against her. "I'm fine. And if you can only give me sympathy… then why don't you go and just worry for that idiot?" He walked away from her. _Is he… jealous?_

**End Chapter**

Hey! Sorry if I took long to update this. It's a little longer than usual. I hope you enjoy!

KatanaSabaku


	5. Chapter 5 Similarities

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 5: Similarities

_**Flashback:**_

"_Uzumaki Naruto VS Hyuuga Neji!"_

"_Gaara VS Uchiha Sasuke!"_

"_Kankuro VS Aburame Shino!"_

"_Nara Shikamaru VS Temari!"_

"_Nara Shikamaru/Temari VS Hatake Katana!"_

_The participants waited. "One month. To improve, train and rest. Dismissed!" announced the Hokage._

_**End Flashback**_

At the Hospital….

Katana looked from left to right. She still couldn't find him. Where was he? She went to the nurses' counter. "Excuse me, Miss." She said. The nurse in charge looked up and smiled. "Yes? What can I do for you, Hatake-san?" She was pretty well known in here. Kakashi had been sent a lot of times in the hospital when he was still in the ANBU Black Ops. And it was always her who took care of him. She was really young at that time, but she was mature and responsible enough to know that crying for him to come back wouldn't solve anything. "Ah, is Tou-san here?" she asked, directly going to the point. "Well… I saw him go in but, I'm not sure if-" Katana sighed and snapped at the nurse. "Tell me the truth. I know he's with Sasuke-kun but I don't give a damn about the Uchiha at the moment. I need to see Tou-san!" she told the nurse. The nurse avoided eye contact. She knew she was caught. Kakashi suddenly appeared out from a corner. "Hm? Katana-chan? What are you doing here?" he asked the girl. Katana looked relieved. "Tou-san, we have to talk." She said as walked out of the hospital. Kakashi followed close behind her. They stopped in a tree shade. "What do you wanna tell me?" he asked his daughter. "Tou-san…My opponent is either the girl from Suna or Shikamaru." She told him. He signaled for her to continue. "I need you to train me, please." She begged. Kakashi stared at her as if saying, 'I-want-to-but-I-can't.'

He sighed after a moment. "Katana-chan, I want to help but…" he looked at her… and regretted it. She did her famous puppy dog eyes at him. He sweated nervously. Now, how can he say no to that?

"I— uh… aw come on! Don't look at me like that!" he protested. "It's bad enough that I can't help you and now you have to guilt me!" Katana's head fell in defeat. "Fine, fine. But do you know someone who can teach me?" she asked. Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Weelll, you could just train under Ebisu-sensei and with Naruto." He said. Katana's eye twitched in suppressed irritation. "You're asking me to train with the loudmouthed brat and that closet perv?" she repeated in her own words. Kakashi sent her a blank look. "Why does everyone call him a closet pervert?" he asked incredulously. Katana face palmed. "That's probably because he is." She answered back. She sighed.

_This is getting me nowhere… _she decided.

"I'm gonna find my own sensei." She said to him as she walked away. "Will you be alright?" called out Kakashi. "Yeah, I'll be fine! Goodluck training Sasuke!" Seeing her walk away, Kakashi smiled secretly. _As I expected from her…_

With Katana…

"Sighhh… I am so not gonna be fine!" she growled out, as frustrated as ever. She continued to walk. "Where the hell I am even going?" she asked herself aloud. A grumbling sound came in reply. It was her stomach. "Greatt…" she scoffed. She looked around and saw a dango shop nearby. She went inside. Approaching the waitress, she ordered 2 sticks of dango. Searching for a seat, she noticed someone familiar. "Gaara!" she called out happily. The redhead and his teammates perked up, not sure if what they heard was correct. _Was somebody calling GAARA? _Temari and Kankuro asked themselves. Even Gaara himself refused to believe that somebody called him. But the voice kept repeating. "Gaara! Gaara-kun! Over here!" Slowly, he lifted up his head. His eyes met a pretty girl. Er, a girl. _What's happening to me? _He asked himself, confused. _Why is my heartbeat this fast?_

He put a hand over his heart. Katana happily skipped towards the sand team. "Ohayo Temari-san! Kankuro-san!" she greeted. They nodded, dumbfounded that she'd even dare get close and talk to them. She looked at Gaara. Her smile faded. "I'm sorry if I upset you yesterday, Gaara-kun. I didn't mean to." she apologized and bowed before him. Again smiling softly, she bid her goodbye with her dango. The siblings were frozen with shock. Before she disappeared completely, Gaara stopped her. "Wait!" Temari and Kankuro stared at him. Katana looked back. "Hm?" she asked, mouth full of dango. For he first time of his life, Gaara didn't know what to say. "…. Train with us." He offered, though he wasn't quite sure why he did that. The other two had their jaws dropped on the table. Katana's eyes widened. "R-really?" she asked. Gaara nodded carefully. Katana chuckled. "Arigatou!" she said. "I'll meet you at the training grounds tomorrow at 7!" with that she went out.

Gaara sat down and stared in the blank space. He looked at his siblings. They looked away nervously. Again he stared blankly. _Why…did I do that?_

Katana's smile was wide as she strolled down the road. So far, this day was the best. "Lee-kun, please stop!" yelled a feminine voice. Alarmed, she ran towards the voice only to go to the hospital and see Rock Lee, still recovering from the damage he took, doing push-ups and physically straining himself. "Lee…" she breathed out horrified, before dashing. "Lee-kun! Lee-kun, Stop!" she shouted. Lee turned to the direction of her voice. "Katana…" he smiled before wincing painfully. He fell on the ground with a thud. "Please watch over him while I get a stretcher!" the nurse told her. She nodded. Kneeling on the ground beside the boy, she gazed at his face. "Baka ne…" she mumbled sadly. She stayed to watch over him until it was late afternoon. She decided to leave, since Pakkun would be home when Kakashi isn't and she should really not get him worried. Last time she did, it wasn't good, I tell you.

She turned right on a corner. Then left. Another right. She stopped abruptly. _What the? _She was back in the previous street she was walking on. _What's happening? _She thought. _Is it some kind of genjutsu? _A bone chilling chuckle sent shivers down her spine. "Long time no see, Katana-chan." It sounded feminine but thick with accent. She glanced back. A woman in a black dress, with long fingernails and black lipstick strode her way towards her. Katana couldn't move. She was scared and something about that woman made her blood boil. It was hatred, though she didn't know why. The stranger was awfully familiar. "My, my… Don't tell me you don't remember…" she teased her. Moving her hand near Katana's face, she brushed a stray hair. She looked at Katana in the eyes. Hers was black and gold. Just like what happens to Katana when her curse activates. Something snapped in Katana. She remembered and hoped that she didn't. "You…" she whispered with narrowed eyes. "You're the one who gave me this curse…." Slapping the woman's hand away, she got on a battle stance. She only giggled. "I do not wish to fight, only to talk." She said to the young girl. "But", she said, faking to be hurt, "since you're in no mood to talk, I'll save it for later. Bye bye!" With a wink, she disappeared. Everything around Katana seemed to swirl. "NO! Get back here!" she screamed but no one answered. Darkness engulfed her. She couldn't breath. "Ahhhh!"

"Katana!" shouted someone, and she looked up hastily. Light blinded her momentarily before she focused her eyes on Sakura's face. She relaxed and breathed in and out. "Geez, you scared me there for a moment." Stated the pink-haired girl, sitting beside her. She realized that she was still in the hospital, still in Lee's room. _A dream…_

"Creeeaaaakkk…." The door went. Both her and Sakura looked at the door, curious on who it might be. Katana saw a tuft of red hair. Her eyebrow rose. "G-Gaara?" The door banged wide open and in a blink of an eye, the two girls were trapped in sand. Katana struggled to move. "Gaara!" she yelled angrily. "What are you doing?" He ignored her and made his way towards the unconscious Rock Lee. Sand climbed up Lee's face. Sakura panicked. "No!" she said helplessly. Katana noticed something. Gaara wasn't acting normal. Something was off with him. Like he was forced to do this. He suddenly clutched his head in agony. It only made her more nervous.

"What are you doing here, you bastard?" Naruto screeched. Katana didn't know how he got here or how he even knew they were in trouble. He punched Gaara in the face. Shikamaru was there too, holding the sand boy in place by his shadow jutsu. Now that he was distracted, Katana grabbed a kunai from her pocket and slashed on the sand, making it loose enough for her to escape. She did the same to Sakura. Then she bumped herself into Gaara, her kunai still at hand. She pointed it to his neck. "Why are you here?" she asked harshly. She didn't want to sound so cold to him but he wasn't his real self. "I was trying to kill him." He answered her bluntly and glared, hoping it would scare her. It didn't work. She only glared back. "Why do you want to kill him?" asked Shikamaru. "Do you have a grudge against him?" added Sakura. "I'm going to kill him just because I want to." he said. Everyone in the room was shocked. "BASTARD!" bellowed Naruto. "If you get in my way… I'll kill you to." he threatened. "Go ahead and try!" dared Naruto but Shikamaru stopped him. The Konoha smart-ass tried bluffing. "You may be strong, but there's four of us. You're at a disadvantage." He told Gaara. "I will say it again, get in my way and I'll kill you." He said expressionlessly. "I won't get killed!" spat Naruto. "Even though you're strength is like a monster… I have a real one inside me." He smirked. Gaara only snorted. "A monster, huh? That makes the same for me. I was born a monster. Shukaku was placed inside me using sand… My own father did it to me." He explained. Shikamaru chuckled nervously. "What a weird expression of love." He commented. "Don't judge me." Said Gaara and for a moment Katana remembered herself in him. "To me, families are only pieces of flesh, connected to me by hatred and pain. I was spoiled since I was a child. I thought it was love." Katana's kunai went down, little by little. Her grip on his also loosened a bit.

"But that was before the incident happened…" he began speaking again.

"What incident?" Katana asked. A crazy lunatic smile took over his face. "For the last 6 years, my father has tried many times to assassinate me!"

"Wh-What?" Sakura exclaimed. "But I thought your father spoiled you?"

"They realized I was too dangerous when I turned 6. Now, all they want is for me to disappear… like the past. Then why am I alive? If I have no reason to live… then it's the same as being dead." Katana and Naruto understood him greatly. _He's the same as us… _thought the two of them. "I found a reason to keep living. As I continued to kill assassins, I came to this conclusion: I exist to kill every human being but myself… fight for only yourself and love only yourself."

_I was alone back then…despised for what I am. Father sent assassins after me and I killed them too for the sake of living. But then I reached this village and found Kakashi-sensei…he was the only one to see me for what I really was, deep inside. My reason to live is to protect this village. _Thought Katana.

_But he… he continued to be alone since this day… he thinks no one cares for him…_

_I continued to live__, for my goal is to be Hokage. He experienced what it means to live by killing others… _Naruto thought sadly as well. _We're all the same… but very different!_

Sand rose up, ready to attack. Katana backed away from him. "Now… let me live." He stated. "That's enough!" a voice shouted from behind them. The genins looked. Gai-sensei stood there with a grave look on his face. "The finals are almost near. Don't get antsy. Unless of course, you want to stay here as well." He warned Gaara. Gaara dragged himself out of the door. "I'll definitely kill you guys. Just wait." He hissed before completely going out. Katana's face was blank. _Earlier this day…he was so caring… What happened to him? _Weariness took over her. She hadn't had a decent meal all day, she was dead beat and her body seemed to be heavier than usual. She tripped on her own two feet. Luckily, Naruto and Sakura caught her just in time. "You okay, Katana-chan?" asked Sakura. Katana's vision blurred by the second. "I..I don't know." She said. "Let's get you home then." Naruto and Sakura acted as her support and walked her to her home.

"Thanks guys." She said with a tired smile. They smiled back. "Are you going to okay by yourself?" asked Sakura, worriedly. Katana nodded. "Hai, I'll be fine." The other two walked away. Katana entered the house. "Pakkun? I'm home!" she yelled. A series of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the house. "KATANA!" shouted a panicked Kakashi, at sight of her. "Eh? Tou-san? What are you doing here? I thought you were—" Kakashi hugged her tightly. She stopped talking and realized that she was very late. "I thought we had a deal." Said Kakashi. "You broke it. When you weren't still home by 6, Pakkun went and told me. I was scared." He told her. Only to her would he be this open about his feelings. And this way, Katana felt special. She hugged him back. "Gomenasai, Tou-san. Something unexpected happened." She explained. Kakashi pulled back. He sighed. "Just— just please don't do that again. I thought you were hurt." She smiled. "Hai. I'll be in my room. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Katana." He said.

Katana shut the door to behind her. Too tired to change into her pajamas, she dashed and let herself fall in her bed. Crawling underneath the covers, she went still in deep thought. "_Fight for only yourself and love only yourself…_" his voice echoed loudly on her mind. "He's not that scary…" she said aloud. "Personally, I think he's cute." She covered her mouth. _What did I just say?_ "Oh my god… No. No, no, no, no. It couldn't be possible. I couldn't… like him, right?" she told herself. Then she recalled her past moments with him. The way she felt happiness fill her, how her heart runs a marathon when she looks at him… "I do like him…" she whispered. An idea hit her. She smirked. _I just hope fate will be cooperative enough…_Those were the last words she wished as sleep took over her.

**End Chapter**


	6. Chapter 6 Persuasion

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 6: Persuasion

Katana slowly opened her eyes. She yawned and looked at her clock. 6:00 a.m. _Yes! _She smirked. Getting out of bed, she ran for the door. "Just wait, Gaara-kun…"

Training Grounds…

He stood there, waiting and hoping for something which he knew was impossible. After what he did yesterday, of course she'd hate him now. It's obvious that she pays more attention to that black haired boy than she does to him. The morning breeze blew gently and slightly ruffled his wild red hair. He stood up and walked away, knowing she wouldn't come anyway. "So you did come…" a teasing voice floated in the air. His eyes widened. _It couldn't be…_He turned around and saw a familiar sight. "Ohayo, Gaara-kun." Greeted Katana with a small smirk. Warmth crept up on his pale face. "You're blushing." Said Katana, as a matter-of-factly. He turned redder at that statement. Katana has never seen him so baffled before and she was enjoying this. He swiftly turned his back on her. Katana was confused. "E-eh? Hey, wait up!" she yelled after him.

Gaara kept walking. Katana caught up with him and pulled his sleeve. He stared at her, planning to use his scary voice but he ended up stuttering. "W-what do y-you want?" he asked, not looking at her anymore. She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for teasing you like that. But I'm really desperate and I don't know what to do. Can you please help me?" she asked shyly. He studied her expression. No traces of any tricks and nothing but sincerity. He doesn't understand why of all people, she picked him or why he was even wasting time to help her. He sighed quietly and said, "Alright." A smile brightened her already beautiful face.

After 5 continuous hours of training…

"Show it to me."

"…No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Please…?"

"No."

"But why not?"

"Just no."

Katana pouted childishly. She was covered with dirt and sweat from all the training. Gaara didn't even have a scratch on him. That's probably because all Katana used were taijutsu. His sand blocked them all and attacked her at the same time. He didn't even need to move as they were fighting. Now, Katana was convincing him to teach her his sand techniques. He told her it came naturally, but she was too stubborn. "Pretty Pleaaasseee?" she pleaded him, doing the puppy dog eyes. He looked at her, bewildered. "Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Gaara as he tilted his head to the right in confusion. She blinked. _He doesn't get it… and that look on his face is cuter than mine… Sighh.. It's hopeless. _

She dropped the act and grumbled. "Fine." Gaara sat beside the moody girl. "How did you do that?" asked the redhead. Katana lifted up her head. "Did what?"

"Those jutsus… the black chakra surrounding you when you were fighting… Where did it come from?" Katana fell silent. Gaara's sea foam eyes bore into hers, waiting patiently. "It's a curse." She whispered so soft, he barely heard it. His gaze lowered. "My mother died when I was younger… and my father blamed me for it. He despised me and would always look at me with hatred. My uncle acted as my dad back then. But, since he was a jinchuuriki…", his eyes widened, "He was always busy. One night, something woke me up. I heard this loud noise I was a curious kid, I peeked." Katana gritted her teeth. She seemed to remember something unpleasant.

"That's something I'll regret forever. I saw my dad and my stepmother fighting over something. Since my stepmother had this strange chakra inside her, she always uses it to put curses on others. When my father turned his back on her, she gathered chakra on her hands and aimed for him. Though he never loved me, I loved him. Trying to protect him, I dashed and blocked it. And the curse went the wrong way." Her body shook and she bit her lip too hard that blood went out. She winced.

Gaara spoke. "The curse gives you strength… yet you hate it."

She met his eyes sadly. "It gave me strength… the strength to kill. I do not want that." She rested on her back and gazed at the sky. Gaara mimicked her, taking off his gourd and lying down. Another breeze went by. "What I want…" she began again, this time grinning, "is the power to protect this village and everyone that I love!" she announced energetically. Gaara was practically gawking at her.

_After all she's been through… she still wants to protect them…._ He thought. Somehow, it hit him hard in the chest. She stopped to look at him, a twinkle in her eyes. "You know…" she trailed off, turning on her side to stare at him, "you're a lot different than the other boys here in Konoha. You're not lazy like a Nara… Not emo like an Uchiha… Not loud like an Uzumaki or arrogant like an Inuzuka… You're one of a kind!" she laughed out. "I like a one-of-a-kind person…" she said and looked at the sky again. Inhaling the fresh air, she closed her eyes in relaxation. Gaara, on the other hand, had his jaw hanging. _W-what? She couldn't be possibly hinting that… she likes me..? _

_**Of course not… No one likes you Gaara… No one but me… **_said a very familiar voice in his head. His eyes widened in the sudden agony. He clutched his head and gritted his teeth together. "Ugh…!" he winced. Katana's attention snapped to his direction. "Gaara? Are you okay?" she asked, alarmed. She approached him. A hand grabbed her neck. "guh!"

Gaara glared, his lunatic smile taking place on his face again. "Die…." He hissed. Katana grabbed his hand shakily. "G-Ga-ara… I-it's me!" she gasped out. "I-it's me… Ka-kat-ana…"

Gaara jerked and let her go. She dropped on the ground, holding her neck. Gaara's body was shaking. He looked angry but not at Katana. He looked angry with himself. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. Worry flashed in her eyes for a moment before turning into their usual look. "You hungry?" she asked. "It's my treat. Wanna go?" He looked down on his feet guiltily. He didn't want to hurt her like that… _Perhaps deep inside she's thinking of a way out. _He thought gravely. A sharp pull made him go back to reality. "Come on!" laughed Katana as she dragged him running.

Katana eyed him as she took another mouthful of her miso soup. _He could kill me in 10 different ways within 5 seconds… yet here I am treating him to lunch. Why am I not afraid?_ Katana thought. "What's wrong?" asked Gaara. "Hm?" she said, confused. "You were staring at me a minute ago." Gaara said. She blushed. "Oh, sorry."

_However, you can't stop now! _She told herself, _you have a plan, remember?_

She cleared her throat to get his attention. "Hey, do you have any others plans for the rest of the day?" she asked excitedly. Gaara couldn't understand why she was so happy. They talked about her past, he nearly killed her, and she was tired from the training on top of that. "No, not really." He answered. She cheered. "That's great then! I'm going to show you around the village!" Gaara inwardly sighed. _This is going to be a long day…_

She toured him around just like she said. They went to the market, the academy school, near the Hokage's quarters and even in the Hokage Mountain. It was all they did. While they were walking, Katana kept telling him little things about the history of Konoha and party about Team 7. "…that's how we became friends." Trailed off Katana. When she didn't hear him say something, she figured that he wasn't even listening now. "… No wonder you and that loud mouth looked so close." He said. She smiled secretly. "Ahaha, yeah. He could be annoying at times, but he's worth the trouble."

"Is that Katana?" _Crap…_

"Yeah, I think it is!" _No, no, no…_

"Huh, who's the guy with her?"

Katana sweated nervously. She grabbed Gaara's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here." She whispered to him. Gaara noticed her panic and nodded. Before they can struggle out of the crowd, they bumped into the one and only trio…

"Ino! Y-you're here!" Katana's smile was twitching at the side of her mouth. _Oh no! I wasn't even done touring Gaara yet! Why did these guys show up now?_

"Hey, tough girl." Smirked Ino. _She does really like giving nicknames…_

"Who's your date?" she asked. Katana visibly paled and went in denial. "Aha… w-what date Ino? This i-is my friend!" Gaara gazed, mouth agape. "His name's Gaara." She introduced. Ino's eyes looked clearly horrified. _The freak that almost killed Lee? _Her look seemed to say. Katana glared. _He's not a freak! He's actually quite nice! _"Say Cheese!" Chouji laughed. "Wait, wha—" A flash blinded her and Gaara momentarily. "Chouji!" protested Katana, annoyed to her wit's end. "What was that for?" but the three ran away giggling, without even much of a goodbye. She sighed and pulled her hair backwards. Smiling gently at him, she mumbled, "It's late. I should go home."

She let her hand slip away from his, only to be prevented by a grip. "Let me…" Katana faced him. "Yes?" she inquired innocently. Gaara's face went red. "L-let me…w-walk you h-home…" he offered. Once again, he didn't understand why he felt so excited and nervous. Somehow, he liked the feeling of her hand holding his. It was warm and welcoming, unlike the cold, heavy hands of those who hate him. They both walked side by side in peaceful silence, plainly enjoying each other's company. They reached Katana's house just in time. The moon was full and bright, shining down upon them. They stopped walking and Katana turned to Gaara.

"Thank you…" she said gratefully. Gaara knew he had to let go. His grip loosened and freed her hand. He turned and walked away. Katana watched him go, and she felt loneliness inside her. "Gaara, wait!" she yelled. He stopped on his tracks. She ran towards him. "What is it?" asked Gaara curiously. Katana bit her lip hesitantly. She was blushing hard. _It's now or never! _She screamed silently in her mind. Standing on her tiptoes and leaning forward, she hugged him tightly. "I…I like you very much, Gaara-kun." She told him with a shaky voice. _Damn, I sounded so corny!_ She thought, embarrassed.

Gaara's mind froze as soon as she came in contact. No one ever hugged him before… no one ever told him that he was wanted there… no one had ever been this kind to him. She pulled away, thinking he was disgusted with her, but at that moment, Gaara hugged her back. She was shocked. He pulled away from her with a flushed face. And with that, he finally walked away. Seeing him go now, Katana didn't feel so lonely anymore. "Ahem…" someone cleared his throat. Katana turned around and blushed. "T-tou-san…." She stuttered. Kakashi had his hands on his hips. "Well, well. My daughter just came back from a date, I see." He teased. "Tou-san!" she shouted at him, more flustered. "I was not! I was just touring him around!" she tried to explain. Kakashi laughed heartedly. "It's alright." He reassured. "I'm not mad." He was even smiling. _Phew…._thought Katana.

"But, for your information, I really wasn't on a date." She denied again. Kakashi put on a devious smirk. "With that stunt you pulled earlier, of course you weren't on a date!" he mocked sarcastically. Katana's only reply was to dash inside the house and lock the door before he could get in. He chuckled at her childish antics.

Gaara walked down the road, thoughts entering his open mind all at once like a highway. _What I want … is the power to protect this village and everyone I love!... You're one-of-a-kind! I like a one-of-a-kind person…Come on! _Her voice echoed on his head. _I…I like you very much, Gaara-kun! _

He remembered her warmth…how he wanted to stay in that loving embrace forever. Was it an illusion… was it all a joke? It seemed too good to be true. How could a beautiful girl love a monster such as him? He told that to himself bitterly.

"I'm back." He announced emotionless, shutting the door behind him. Temari and Kankuro quickly faced him. "O-oh! G-Gaara! Where have you been?" asked Temari, half-concerned, half-frightened. Gaara stared at her and glared half-heartedly. He wasn't in the mood to be all scary. "It's none of your business. I'm going to bed." He went upstairs. Temari and Kankuro shared a look. "Did he just say he's going to bed?" they both chorused. He dropped his gourd by the bedside. Lying down at the soft mattress, he fell in a deep thought. _What is this? Is this…love?_

Chuunin Exams

"Where is Sasuke?" asked Naruto for the umpteenth time. Katana was beginning to be irritated. But she couldn't find Sasuke or Kakashi anywhere either.

"The contestant for the next match is not yet here, therefore we will proceed to the next match." Said the examiner. "Kankuro and Aburame Shino. Get down here!" For some unknown reason Kankuro forfeited. Shikamaru panicked. Katana was shocked. She knew Kankuro could take him. He had 60 % chance of winning. He wasn't scared. Then Katana realized that after Shikamaru's fight, it was hers. She pulled over Shikamaru. "You better listen well." She told him with narrowed eyes. "If you don't win that battle with that Suna girl, I am going to castrate you after MY fight. Got that?" she threatened. Of course, she was scared of Temari also. Shikamaru sighed. "That's just unfair! What I get to fight TWO girls here? And also, either way, if I became your opponent, I'm sure you're going to castrate me as well." He said. In a flash, Temari was down there, with that ridiculously big fan of hers. "Alright! Go for it, Shikamaru!" yelled Naruto and pushed him down. Shikamaru flailed his arms wildly, losing his balance and fell face-forward on the ground. Temari was aggressive as expected. When Shikamaru didn't make his move, she charged.

After muttering some girl and boy crap, he finally fought back telling Temari that he wouldn't lose to a girl. But then again… it was him so how knows? When he finally caught her in his Shadow Copy technique, he raised his hand, making her raise hers as well. Naruto and Ino were cheering loudly. Chouji was chomping his chips nervously. Katana's earlier threat entered his mind. He glanced at her from above. _Yepp, she's glaring at me._ He thought and sighed. "I give up." He said. Temari's mouth was left hanging. "What?" she asked him incredulously. "I'm out of chakra and I'm tired. Good luck with your next match." He explained and bade his good bye. "Winner, TEMARI!" announced the examiner. Naruto could almost see the steam coming out of the angry Katana's ears. Naruto went down to fetch him and when they got up, Katana cracked her knuckles in front of Shikamaru. He went pale. "Nara Shikamaru…I thought we had an understanding…" she said in her scary voice and had her scary face. "Oh crap…" was all he could say before a rock-hard punch was thrown directly to his face.

He landed on his butt. He stared at her, as if saying, "You didn't have to punch that hard." But she turned her back on him with a defiant 'hmph'. Then, she remembered something. Next match… Gaara VS Sasuke… The Uchiha VS the jinchuuriki of the Sand. "Where's the Uchiha?" yelled the crowd. Katana fidgeted nervously. Glancing at Gaara, she saw that he still was calm. Slowly building courage, she walked to him. "Hey…" she greeted timidly. Gaara looked surprised to see her. "Why are you here?" he asked in a monotone voice despite of the blush on his cheeks. "I uh…", she started, looking down at their feet. A pink tint was at her face. "I wanted to… wish you luck for your fight." She finally said. Gaara felt a bit lightheaded. He thought that it was just an excuse when she said that she liked him. Yet now… she's still...

He merely nodded at her concern but it was an enough 'thank you' for her. She smiled softly. "Just be careful…" She went back to Naruto and the others. "What did you say to that bastard?" asked Naruto quietly in an angry tone. Katana sighed. "He's not that bad…" she muttered. Naruto didn't reply, instead he pointed below. "Look at that!" Katana's eyes followed the direction of his hand. A sudden gush of wind sent the leaves dancing in a circular motion. She gasped excitedly. "That's tou-san!" she told them. "Eh? Kakashi-sensei?" asked Naruto.

Sure enough, Kakashi and Sasuke were there in the middle of the arena. Everyone was silent in the pleasant surprise. "Sorry we're late." Apologized Kakashi. "Your name?" inquired the examiner. "Uchiha…Sasuke."

Hey guys! Sorry I took so long to update this. Why'd you stop the reviews? Come on!


	7. Chapter 7 Turning Point

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 7: Turning Point

In the beginning of the fight, Gaara was already acting strange. When sand came out of his gourd, Katana immediately saw the blood stains there. He had killed someone recently.

Then he clutched his head as if he had a wave of agony and nausea overcoming him. He whispered weird things like, "Mother…" and something about "foul blood…". Katana was panicking inside. The Shukaku was taking control again. She wanted to jump right down in the middle. She wanted to stop the fight and talk to him. To calm him down. To turn him into his real self again. But she knew she couldn't.

Sasuke attacked, his speed matching the speed of Lee. The boy was shocked to hear that Sasuke used his sharingan to copy his moves. Gaara stumbled at the impact of Sasuke's punch, sending him to the other side. He attacked and attacked but the sand cannot even block one. They were all fast. Gaara used his absolute defense, which seemed to be his trump card. He was enclosed in a thick and very hard ball of sand. Something swirled and formed outside the ball. It looked like an eye. _What the…?_

Katana pulled back her hair, let it slide through her hands and breathed out shakily. Kakashi turned at her. After a moment, he turned his attention back to the fight. "What's bothering you?" he asked, though he knew the answer quite well. She remained silent. "…You know why…" she replied. "Then I was right all along?" he asked again. She just nodded. "That's not… That's not the real him." She said in quietly for only him to hear. "How do you know that?"

Katana turned her head to his direction. She gave him a look. He stared at her grey eyes. Smiling, he resumed watching the battle. "I believe you…" he answered. Looking back at the arena, she saw Sasuke in the side, gathering an enormous amount of chakra in his hands. It sparked and fizzled. Katana's eyes focused on his hand. "You… you taught him the chidori?" asked Katana. "Hai", Kakashi answered, "I needed to. Or he wouldn't stand a chance against Gaara." She kept a calm composure but Kakashi knew she's upset deep inside.

As Gai explained it's concept to Sakura and the others, Katana watched closely as Sasuke charged. The noise was a lot louder now that he was moving, so everyone's eyes were glued to his thrusting arm. The said arm drilled into the thick surrounding sand and Sasuke's hand was soon buried inside it. Everything was quiet. No sounds emitted from inside it ball of sand. Suddenly, a loud, bone-chilling scream was released throughout the arena. It was Gaara's scream. "BLOOD! MY BLOOD!"

Katana lost her cool and was replaced by a horrified look. "Gaara-kun!" she shouted, but his scream drowned it. Katana hop on the rail and got ready to jump, but two strong arms latched to her waist. She struggled and fought back. "Let go of me!" she yelled. "No! Katana, get a hold of yourself!" Kakashi sternly told her. Naruto and the others stared at the father and daughter. They've never seen them fight before. And Katana was nothing like this. She was always level-headed.

"Calm down!" Kakashi ordered once again and Katana stopped struggling. Kakashi set her down on the floor gently. Her face was blank but eyes held everything. Anger and desperation. Her closed fists shook. Black aura slowly formed around her again. Sakura and Naruto became alarmed. Kakashi took one of her hands and held it tightly in his. "Katana!" he said. Grey eyes snapped at him, losing its bloodlust. Katana stared at him, as if she didn't know where she was. Then it dawned to her what she just tried to do. She looked down regretfully and stood up, not looking at Kakashi. Kakashi felt a pang of guilt and hurt hit him in the chest.

A gigantic claw of some kind that has black markings around it sprung out of the ball. It caught a bit of Sasuke's arm, but he managed to escape. The claw retreated back and now there was a small visible hole in it. Katana felt a certain chakra. It came from inside. The ball of sand cracked. It softened and poured down as grains. There in the middle stood Gaara, who held his bleeding left shoulder. He was breathing irregularly.

Katana felt another thing. Drowsiness slowly entered her mind. _A genjutsu! _She held her hand in front of her and did a hand seal. "Kai!" She thought she heard Sakura's voice. Opening her eyes, she looked around. Everyone was asleep. Sakura, Kakashi and Gai weren't. She smiled but frowned immediately. The ANBU had scattered. Three giant snake heads appeared out of nowhere and started to destroy the buildings outside. The Kazekage exited and held the Hokage hostage. No one understood what was going on. She jumped down beside Sasuke. Temari and Kankuro, plus their sensei, were standing in front of Gaara. She glared. "What are you planning to do?" she hissed. Her curse activated once again.

Their sensei looked back at the three. "Leave." He ordered them. "Take Gaara with you and leave." _So he does care for them as a teacher…_

"What about you?" asked Temari. "I'll join the battle. Just go!" They did what he said and left. "Is the person behind this…Orochimaru?" asked the examiner, who had his guard up. He only smirked. "Who knows? Now let the fun begin." The examiner spoke. "Both of you are chuunin level. Go and pursue Gaara. If you are a shinobi of Konoha, then at least make yourselves useful." He told Katana and Sasuke. They shared a look. Katana's was of determination while Sasuke seemed to neglect the given task. Together, they took off in pursue of those three.

"Sakura! I have a mission for you!" said Kakashi as he fended off the sound-nin enemies. "What mission, sensei?" He cut his thumb with a kunai and let the blood flow out. Doing a summoning jutsu, he continued, "Wake up Naruto and Shikamaru. Sasuke and Katana chased Gaara. Now, I want you to track both of them." A small dog 'poofed' out. "Pakkun will be going with you." He ended. Sakura stared at Pakkun. "Is the dog going to help?" she asked and Kakashi sweat dropped.

With Katana and Sasuke…

"Slow down, will you!" shouted Sasuke. "You're going too fast!" Katana glanced back and glared. "Well, you're not going fast enough!" she yelled back at him. Getting closer, Katana sensed two chakra signatures. "Shino's here…" she whispered loud enough for Sasuke to hear. They stopped.

Kankuro was in front of them while Shino was on their right. "Go on." He told them. "I'll handle this guy."

Sasuke turned to him. "You seem pretty confident." He challenged Shino. But Shino took no offense. "I can get him off your backs for 10 minutes, don't worry." Katana nodded. "Thanks Shino!" she said and jumped off with Sasuke.

On a distance, Katana thought she saw something red. She jumped another branch down and was staring directly at Gaara. "Ga…Gaara…" she mumbled. Looking around, she noticed Temari unconscious by the side. _What happened? _"Good. You found him." Said Sasuke. As soon as Gaara saw him, he cracked. He fell onto his knees and held gripped his hair. Sasuke didn't know what was with him. Katana looked worried and alarmed. "Arggghhh…" he groaned out in pain. He was slowly transforming into something… Something more powerful and fearful. He looked up them with crazed eyes. "Gaara!" shouted Katana. "Control it! Don't give in!" But he didn't care for her at the moment. "Get lost!" he roared viciously. "Do not interfere." Said Sasuke in a cold tone. Gaara and Sasuke began to fight. Katana flinched. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. _He's not Gaara…He's not Gaara…Gaara is the one inside…Help him… You need to help him! _Her eyes flashed black and gold as soon as she snapped them open, only to be tackled down by a lunging, half-transformed Gaara. They went several feet down. She fell on her back roughly. _Did Sasuke… escape?_ She asked on her mind. She stood up with a hurting back. She saw him behind a tree. _That jerk! He didn't even warn me! _

"Uchiha…Sasuke! Are you afraid of me?" bellowed the demon-possessed boy. He kept mocking Sasuke until the Uchiha finally decided to show himself. He gathered chakra in his hands. He activated the Sharingan and charged. Gaara charged as well. Katana was only able to stare as the two went for each others' lives, head-on. She could attack from behind and double team Gaara but she hesitated. Her head was full of 'what ifs'. A scream of pain interrupted her thinking. It was soon followed by a lunatic laugh. "So that's why I'm excited!" exclaimed Gaara. "It was because of this pain." He was trembling horribly. "Defeating a man strong enough to hurt me and killing him completely would mean a greater sense of existence!" he cackled. Sasuke smirked wickedly. "MORE!" growled Gaara. A tail formed at his backside. Katana gritted her teeth. She didn't like what was happening. Gaara hurled himself towards Sasuke to attack. "Dendou Kuroi Kago!" yelled Katana.  
He was trapped behind black bars. When he dared to go near it, it electrocuted him, sending shooting pains down his arms. It only riled him up more. He punched the cage open like a toothpick. "Katon!" A giant fireball was thrown to Gaara's direction. But he ran through it. Katana gathered a large amount of chakra in her arms. She would have to use _that _forbidden technique. It consumed almost 60 % of one's chakra so she doesn't use it often. It was her own version of Kakashi's original Chidori.

"Dendou Tora!" a fierce growl was heard as she did the jutsu. Gaara looked back. A beast-shaped lightning bolt hit him straight in the gut. It didn't cause him to bleed, but it did electrify him, sending a hundred volts in his chakra system. He fell on his knees and gasped out in pain. If he wasn't half-transformed, Katana figured he'd be dead by now. She huffed and panted. Her power was drained and she was low on chakra. Her eyes turned back to grey. Things were getting blurry in her vision. She saw something big coming in her direction. Her eyes widened. He was after her!

"No…NO!" she screamed in terror. Sand engulfed her. She was trapped. The lack of oxygen turned her paler.

"HEY!" called out Sasuke. "I'm your opponent here." He said with a glare. He let go of her and both charged head-on. Both landed on opposite directions. Gaara's arm bled and sand poured out of it. Sasuke on the other hand, had marks on his arm. Katana stared at Sasuke. _So that was what Sakura meant by curse seal…_He collapsed and shuddered. "Guh!" he winced. The mark was burning and he couldn't move. Gaara charged for Sasuke. Katana tried to stand up and dashed between them. _So, this is how I'll die…_

She shut her eyes tight and waited for the impact, praying that it'll be painless. But the blow never came. Something went 'thud!'. She hesitantly opened her eyes and saw something surprising. "You…" she sighed, "you're late again, baka." She smiled sadly and let her body fall down on the tree branch. Naruto was there. So were Sakura and Pakkun. Sakura rushed to Sasuke. Pakkun went to her side. "You okay, kid?" he asked. "Yeah, I'm tired, that's all." She answered. "You know, Kakashi's gonna kill me if he sees you like this." Katana smirked. "Don't worry 'bout it."

"Katana-chan!" yelled Naruto. She brought her head up. "What?"

"Who the hell's this guy?" he asked dumbly and pointed to the pissed off boy.

A vein popped out on her forehead. "That's Gaara…you nitwit." She couldn't help but added frustratingly.

Sasuke kept groan and wincing. He spat out blood. Sakura was too worried to fight. Pakkun immediately backed out of the fight. _It's up to you, Naruto…but maybe if I push myself… I could still be of help. _She pushed herself further to her limit and still stood up. Pakkun tried stopping her. "Hey! What're you doing? You can't fight any longer!" he reprimanded. But the girl was stubborn. "If this curse of mine is staying, then it might as well be useful enough." She argued back. Drawing some more chakra, she activated it again for the second time. Clenching her teeth to bear the pain of ripping muscles, she trudged behind Naruto. "I'll be your backup." She told him. He nodded thankfully. Suddenly, Naruto tensed. "GUYS! Get Away!" he shouted to Sakura. Sakura understood it too late. Gaara charged towards her. "Die, Uchiha Sasuke!" he roared. She stubbornly blocked the way, not caring if she'll die. "Sakura-chan!" chorused both Naruto and Katana. The claws of Shukaku suffocated her. Katana ran towards them. "Dendou Tsume!"

She successfully cut the claw in between. Sand poured out as grains and Sakura was able to breathe again. But this time, it was Katana who struggled in his death grip. "Ga-Gaara…guh!" she choked out. "It-'s m-me! Ka-Kata-na!" she kept speaking even though she knew he couldn't hear her very well at the moment. But she had to at least try. Naruto swiftly took Sakura and Sasuke away from Gaara. Tears formed at the sides of Katana's eyes. "Are you scared girl?" Katana knew that voice belonged to Shukaku. "Are you scared of me?" he asked harshly, but she smiled. "I-I'm not c-ry-ying be-ca-cause I'm scared…I'm cr-ying bec-cause I h-hate s-seeing y-ou t-this way, Gaara…" she sobbed. Tears trailed down her cheeks like small rivulets. His eyes widened. "I-it hu-hurts to s-see you li-like t-this… be-cause I…I lo-love you.." she weakly said. He jerked his hand. The grip loosened. She gasped loudly and coughed out blood. _His transformation reduced_… she noticed wearily as blood and salty tears mixed at her chin. He stared at her, his look a mixture of disbelief, doubt, and… a desire. A desire for him to be loved. More tears flowed out of her eyes. "P-ple-ase… let's stop this, Gaara…" she begged helplessly.

But he seemed to remember something terrible and his uncontrollable mood returned to him. "You're lying…" he hissed venomously. "You're lying!" he shrieked and threw her to the other tree. Her body went limp. "He… he said that too… A long time ago… And yet, he just lied!" he roared. Katana didn't understand what he was saying. All she knew was that she had about six long gashes all over her body, two broken ribs, minor internal bleeding and a broken wrist. _Nothing critical…_she thought sarcastically. Pakkun dashed to her. "You crazy kid! Are trying to get yourself killed?" he asked her.

Not quite comprehending was he was saying, she just answered, "Sure, why not?" Pakkun was quiet, and then he sighed. "Kakashi sure rubbed too much of his attitude on you."

Katana was awake the through the whole battle. In her condition, she could only watch Naruto fight Gaara. She even thought she saw the blonde use 1000 years of pain, but of course, she could be hallucinating in her state. She even saw him transform into the real thing. She wanted to throw up in fear and disgust.

Sasuke even stood up. _Seems like he took control of it…Good for him._ Thought Katana. "Only when you have someone to protect… Can you be truly strong!" yelled Naruto. Katana was amazed how much chakra he had inside his body. "I WILL PROTECT THEM, NO MATTER WHAT!" Thousands of Naruto shadow clones invaded the area. One was even at the same place as Katana was.

She smirked. "Can you please get me up now?" she asked. He grinned. "Promise to take it easy." He sat her up and used the tree trunk as support for her back. "Thanks. And Naruto…" he glanced at her. "Yea?" She smiled. "Please… please bring Gaara back." He turned his back on her, but Katana knows he wore a teasing smile. "Don't worry. I'll bring your boyfriend back." He snickered before jumping onto the boy.

"ORRRAAA!" screamed Naruto. All the clones jumped on Gaara, kicking, punching or throwing shurikens. Gaara transformed further. A gigantic raccoon-looking sand demon showed up. Katana's eyes widened. _That's…That's Shukaku? _Sand wrapped around Naruto's body, who was unable to escape because of the previous kage bunshin he did. _SHIT!_

Not minding to break a couple more bones, Katana managed to stand up. "Ack!" she winced. "Summoning no Jutsu!" screamed Naruto from the inside. The casing exploded and out came a huge oversized, smirking frog. Katana paled in more fear and panic. She hated frogs. But it got worse. "What'cha want, boy?" it asked. She fainted.

After the fight…

Katana woke up to the cold droplets of leaf dew above her. Remembering all the injuries she had, she groaned out. She jumped off the branch and landed on unstable feet. Half-walking, half-stumbling, she followed the trail of sand and footsteps. She soon reached her destination. Lying on the forest floor were Naruto and Gaara, both with bleeding foreheads. Sensing that Naruto still had much chakra left, she knelt near Gaara.

Ripping off her left sleeve, she exposed her curse mark. After carefully cleaning the wound on his forehead, she ripped off the other sleeve and used it to bandage the injured part. When she was done, she heaved out a relieved sigh. Gaara's eyes fluttered open. "Ka…Katana?" he asked wearily, not believing his eyes. She gave him a gentle smile. "Just rest." She told him. "You've lost a lot of chakra." He stared at her as if wanting to say something. She looked back, waiting for him to speak. "I'm sorry…" he said regretfully and Katana could tell that he was sincere. His eyes held no bloodlust, only yearning.

"When I said 'I love you', I wasn't lying." She stated. It took sometime before he realized what she meant. His sea foam orbs widened. "It was real." She looked down at his hand and took it. "Do you remember this?" she asked, showing his hand holding hers. He nodded slowly. Her smile widened. "I want you to know that no one is really alone. A lot of people think they are alone, but they really aren't. Someone is always there by their side, ready to catch them if they fall. Just as I am ready to save you from the burden of your past." She squeezed his hand before letting go.

She backed away from him a bit. "Temari-san! Kankuro-san!" she called out. They slowly showed themselves, their guards still up. She shook her head. "I have no intention of fighting you guys. Please, just leave our village in peace." She said seriously. Temari folded back her fan. "Thank you…" she said gratefully. "It's okay." She replied. They supported Gaara. She supported Naruto. They jumped off in different directions.

"Naruto, I know you're awake the whole time." She said out loud. Naruto snickered despite his tired state. "Great speech. But why didn't you just kiss him and get it over with?" he teased. Katana smirked. "Naruto, I hold the upper hand right now. Do you want me to drop you and leave you alone in this forest?" she asked tauntingly. He gulped. "No Ma'am!" Sharing a laugh, they walked towards the village.

**End Chapter**


	8. Chapter 8 Messenger

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 8: Messenger

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Gomenasai"

"You nearly got killed."

"Gomenasai"

"So, did he like you back?"

"*G-gomen?"

Kakashi chucked at her red face. "Come on, tell me. Did he like you back?" She huffed. "You don't need to know that!" She just woke up in the hospital and now Kakashi was teasing her again? She glared at her dad who was sitting on the chair beside her.  
She sighed and got out of bed. "Hey, where are you going?" asked Kakashi. "Training." She answered simply. He didn't seem too enthusiastic about it. "You just got up." He reminded. She gave him a full blown grin. "I'll be fine!" and she dashed out of the door. She met up with the rest of her team on the training grounds. Sakura looked surprised. "Katana-chan! Weren't you on bed rest?" she asked. Katana smirked. "It got boring there. Besides, I promised you guys a training session, didn't I?"

Sakura and Katana watched as the two stubborn guys fought. Neither wanted to lose to the other. Katana wiped sweat off her forehead. "Gosh, they sure have big egos, don't they?" she joked and Sakura laughed. "I haven't properly thanked Sasuke yet." She told Katana. "Thank him for what?" _As far as I could remember, it was Sasuke who owes you thanks for taking care of him…_ "For saving me, remember?" Sakura said. Katana looked at her quizzically. "He didn't save you, Naruto and I did." She said, a bit hurt that Sakura thought it was Sasuke. But Sakura only laughed again. "Naruto may have gotten strong, but you and him couldn't have possibly defeated that monst—"  
"He's not a monster!" Katana snapped. Sakura was shocked at her. Sasuke and Naruto stopped fighting and glanced at the girls. "What's wrong with you?" asked Sakura. "It's as if you like him or something!" Katana looked away. Anger made her blood boil, but she controlled her emotions. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't call him that." Explained Katana more calmly. Sasuke approached them. "Something wrong?" he asked. Sakura said nothing. She was still waiting for Katana's answer. Katana turned to Sasuke. "Nothing's wrong." She replied without her usual smile. "Perhaps the weariness is getting on my head. I need to rest. Sorry 'bout that Sakura." She apologized and went back to the hospital.

On her way, she had a mental debate. _It takes time for them to accept the fact that he's finally changed…_ she told herself. Then another thought came in mind. _But that doesn't give Sakura the right to call him that! _She rubbed her head in frustration. _Baka! She was almost killed by him! _She scolded silently. _But I nearly got killed as well… Ugh, why am I talking to myself? _"Katana!" yelled someone from behind. She turned back. "S-sasuke? What are you doing here? Aren't you with Sakura and Naruto?" she asked. "Sakura went home and Naruto went with someone named 'Ero-sennin'. I heard the news about Kakashi." He said hastily. "What news?" she asked worriedly. Sasuke gawked at her. "I thought you knew!" he shouted as he ran towards the hospital. This made Katana even more panicked. "If I knew then I wouldn't ask!" she yelled and sped off as well.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap…._ Katana overtook Sasuke. She was really freaked out this time. She just got out for like, 10, 15 mins? Then what happens? Opening the door to her room with a loud bang, she all caught the jounins' attention. "What..huff..huff…happened to…Tou-san?" she asked seriously. They didn't answer, but pointed at the man resting on her bed. She rushed to him. Sasuke entered in a more calmly manner. "Why is Kakashi-sensei sleeping?" he asked. Another series of footsteps followed. A jounin burst inside. "Are the rumors true? Is Itachi-san really back and chasing Naruto?"  
"Baka" reprimanded Kurenai. Gai sighed. Sasuke looked traumatized by the mention of the name. Katana's eyes narrowed. "This guy Itachi you're talking about… who is he?" she asked suspiciously. Sasuke looked terribly bothered and ran away. "Sasuke, wait!" shouted Katana, but he was out of the door. She looked at the jounin teachers. "Who is that Itachi guy? What happened to Tou-san?" she asked, wanting some explanation for this mess.

Asuma sighed. "Listen up, kid. This is going to be a long story." He said and started to fill her up about the ruckus.

"A real Sharingan wielder, Asuma-sensei?" she gasped. He nodded. "He didn't want us to help. He told us to close our eyes and let him handle it. But when we opened them, he was near fainting." He added. Katana didn't know what to feel. She was pissed off at his stubbornness, but worried about his condition. She took a deep breath and let it out to calm herself. "W-where?" a hoarse voice asked. "Kakashi, are you alright?" asked Gai, who was beside to previously knocked out man. Katana smiled. "Tou-san! You're alright!" she cheered happily. He nodded. "I was so worried, Tou-san." Said Katana. She went near him and opened her arms, as if wanting to hug him. When he attempted to do so, she bonked him in the head. He winced. The other jounins flinched and took a step back. "Baka!" yelled Katana as Kakashi rubbed the injured area. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"Gomenasai…" he apologized. "You nearly got killed!" Again, he apologized. They shared a moment of silence. She frowned at him. "Don't do that again…promise?" she asked. He sighed, and smiled gently. "Promise." This time, she hugged him for real. "Sorry for the bonk." She whispered. He merely chuckled. Then they remembered that they weren't the only ones in the room. Looking at the others, they saw an amusing sight. Gai had tears flowing down dramatically, Kurenai was sighing happily and Asuma looked at Kakashi like 'That-was-so-lame-getting-scolded-by-your-own-daughter'. Both Hatakes sweat dropped.

Katana was stuck in deep thought. She sat peacefully on the edge of her bed. _Akatsuki…Naruto…Nine-tails…Jinchuuriki…Wait, jinchuuriki…hmm…. Guh! GAA-! _"Knock! Knock! Knock!" She scrambled to open the door. "Ah, Tou-san, is something wrong?" she asked. Kakashi looked dead serious. "There are ANBU outside the door." He began. "What? Why?" she asked. She wasn't following where he was going. "It seems that a spy was found inside our village. And when they interrogated him, all he said was your name." Katana's eyes widened. "He said…Katana… Hatake?" she inquired. Kakashi shook his head. "Katana Yotsuki…" he sighed. "We need to go. The elders want to meet us. Come on." Katana dropped on her knees. She shuddered hard. Kakashi dashed to her side. He took her small shivering body in his arms. "Katana…Katana, calm down." He gently told her. He heard quiet sobbing noises. She was crying. "T-tou-san…I don't want to go back. Tou-san, they'll hurt me again." Her system was breaking down. "They're not going to hurt you…I won't let them. I won't let them." He felt worthless to not have the power to help her at all.

"Hm…so you are Katana Yotsuki?" inquired the female elder. She nodded hesitantly. "Do you know why they are after you?" asked the male. She nodded again. They waited for her answer. "I…I think, it's because of …of my father's orders." She spoke softly. "Your father?" asked one of them again. "Yes. He was the one who ordered an assassination for me years back then. So, if he found out now that I'm still alive…he'd probably want me back in Kumo and kill me himself." She answered. The elders looked at each other then turned at her. "Please follow us." They told her. She stood up and glanced at Kakashi. He nodded and winked. She smiled gently and caught up with them. They went inside a room. It had no windows, only one door for entrance and exit, and on the middle of the room was a man bound in chains, sitting on a chair.

Katana stared at him. He wore a Kumo headband. She drew a shaky breath. The elders looked at her, waiting for her to speak. And she did. "You were…looking for me?" she asked the man. He snapped up his head. At the sight of her, his eyes widened. "Katana-sama!" he said and bowed his head deeply. Katana didn't understand. Why was he so polite if he was ordered to kill her? "Please… raise your head." She said and he obeyed. "Katana-sama, please forgive me! I've failed you! Your father heard rumors that you were alive and well in this village so he ordered us to find you!" he said. The elders realized that they should've had Katana be summoned earlier for him to speak. Katana bit her lip at the mention of her father. "My father wants me to be found?" she asked. He nodded. "And why is that?" she asked again. "He wants you back at Kumo, Katana-sama…" he said. She gritted her teeth together. _After trying to kill me for so many times… Now he wants me back? _She thought grudgingly.

"Why does he want me back? I thought he said that he was better off without me?" she snarled. The man gulped nervously. "H-he said that he r-realized he was wrong and he was sorry. He wanted you to give him another chance…" the spy explained. Katana balled her fists angrily. Without thinking, she drew her sword and let the blade caress the skin of the man's neck. He was sweating. Kakashi had his and on her shoulder as a warning that she shouldn't do it. "You tell him this", she hissed sharply, "There's no way I'd go back. I'll make him suffer with guilt for what he did to me. I. WOULD. NEVER. FORGIVE. HIM." She emphasized each word and pushed the bound man hard. He was shaking in fear. She shot him a death glare. Again, he bowed his head. "Please, Katana-sama! He's terribly sorry!" Katana ignored his plea. She turned to the elders. "If he isn't any harm to the village, then would you let him go?" she asked. They nodded. Kakashi and her got out of the room and proceeded to go home.

The two of them walked in uncomfortable, deadly silence. Kakashi wanted to say something but he was too scared to do so. Katana felt nervousness radiating off her dad. She sighed. "I'm okay, Tou-san." She said and smiled. "Ah? Oh, that's good then. Ahahaha…" he laughed. Her smile widened. She loved hearing his laugh. On their way, they bumped into Gai, who was carrying an unconscious Sasuke on his back. Both Katana and Kakashi asked what happened. "Found him with Jiraiya-sama and Naruto." Answered Gai. He turned to Kakashi and whispered something. Katana stared as the two jounins talked in hushed voices. She looked down. _Now, even to Sasuke… What's happening?_ She asked mentally. "Katana-chan, we have to go home now." Said Kakashi. She looked around. Gai and Sasuke were gone. How long had she been spacing out? Embarrassed, she only smiled and nodded.

They opened the door and shut it behind them. She immediately went to her room, without so much of a 'good night'. Kakashi knew she was troubled by today's earlier events. He couldn't help but feel angry at himself. He couldn't help her. All he does is talk and promise. But he knew someday, she's going to leave him, sooner or later. _I just hope it's later rather than soon enough…_ he thought sadly.

Closing the door to her room, she jumped on her bed. She hugged a pillow against her chest. Her lower lip quivered. Now that she was alone in her room, she could let it all out without thinking of the shinobi rule: "Kill your emotions." She inhaled through clenched teeth. Taking a deep breath, she released it in shudders. Tears welled on the sides of her eyes. She hugged the pillow tighter. Only one thing entered her mind: _WHY?_ Her head ache horribly just by the mere thought of it. _Why does he want me back? Is he really sorry? Should I forgive him? But all those years of neglecting me… that look of disgust and hatred on his face… how he always misunderstood me… The assassination…! _Her curse mark stung hard. She winced, clutching her left shoulder. A tear escaped the confines of her eye and trickled down her face. Her expression softened. _Why right now…of all the times? Why…?_ Drowsiness overcame her. Her tired eyes closed softly and sleep consumed her.

Laughter. She could hear it well. But it wasn't pleasant. It sounded desperate. Insane. It hurt her ears. "So nice to see you again…Katana-chan." A shiver went up her spine. She knew that voice. She knew it well. She was scared and angry but for the first time, she wanted to be bold. Gathering courage, she turned to the woman. Katana's face held an expression of mock surprise. "Why, if it isn't you…", she sneered, "stepmother." The word rolled off her tongue like venom. The woman's black lips curled into a sadistic grin. "So, you finally agreed to talk to me, hm?" Katana glared. "I've never agreed to anything. You invite yourself forcefully." The woman placed a hand on her hip and snorted. "How rude of you to treat your stepmother that way." Katana snickered. "Father separated with you?" she asked. The woman was taken aback. "How…How dare you say that!" she spat angrily. It was Katana's turn to grin. "So, it's true then? Ne?" she teased. "Then, I don't have to call you stepmother anymore… Tamiko-san."

"How did you know?" asked Tamiko, scowling. Katana smirked. "I was bluffing. You admitted it yourself." Eyes widening in anger, Tamiko screamed. "You filthy brat!" Katana covered her ears and winced. It hurt a lot. She was surprised by a sudden hit in the head. "Guh!" She dropped on the ground and panted. Tamiko made a lunge for her neck. Long, sharp fingernails dug on her soft skin. Blood oozed out. Katana flinched and tried to take off the hand that prevented her from breathing. However, her strength was slowly being drained from her body. She gasped and wheezed helplessly for air. Tamiko leered. "Do you want to know something?" she asked teasingly at the suffocating girl. "Your father didn't plan the assassination mission…I did." Katana's eyes flew wide open. _YOU…! _Balling up a fist, she sent a powerful, angry punch on Tamiko's gut. The sorceress went tumbling to the other side. Katana greedily inhaled precious air once again. When she finally got herself up together, she took out her sword. She positioned herself on a battle stance, "It was you all along…" she hissed lowly, "You made father hate me…"

Tamiko smirked. "You've grown stronger. You win for now, but I'll be back, Katana. Mark my words." She vanished into the thin air. "…I'll be back…" Katana woke up with a start. She gazed at her surroundings. She was in her room again. _Was it all a dream?_ She asked herself. She touched her neck and winced at the pain. Drawing her hand back, she saw blood stains.  
_These wounds…when she strangled me. So it was real. _She mused.

"Ne, Katana-chan!" called Kakashi from outside her room. She opened the door and went to the living room. He wasn't there. "Tou-san, you called?" she asked out loud. "In the kitchen!" he answered back. She went to the kitchen and found him cooking dinner. She smiled. "You're cooking? That's unusual." She joked. He chuckled. "I heard your voice earlier. Were you talking with someone?" he asked as he placed the dish on the table. As they ate, Katana told him all about what happened. "Turns out, it isn't my father who set the assassination for me. It was her." Kakashi was silent. Katana hesitated to say her next words. "Tou-san… do you think…I should consider going back?" she asked idly. His eyes widened at the question. Katana spoke again. "I've hated my father for something he didn't do…I think he at least, deserves a chance to prove himself…But I…I don't want to leave you, Tou-san." She explained further. He understood completely, but it still hurt. He smiled sadly. "You should go." He told her. "You'll learn a lot from him. And also, he seems to be sincerely sorry." She stared at him. "What about y—"

"I'll be fine." He reassured, using her line. She stared at him more. He offered a smile. Slowly, she smiled back. "Thank you, Tou-san." She said. He laughed. "You shouldn't be calling me that anymore. You have your real father back now!" he said. She shook her head and got up from her chair. Hugging him from behind, she whispered, "You will always be a father to me." Kakashi's eyes softened. "Thank you, Katana."

Tucking her in for bed, he said goodnight and left her room. Under the covers, she thought of the previous things that happened.

_**Flashback:**_

_Katana-sama, please forgive me! I've failed you!_

_He's terribly sorry!_

_Your father didn't plan the assassination mission…I did._

_Mark my words…I'll be back. _

_**End of Flashback**_

She turned to her side. Suddenly, her lips curved into a grin. _When you're back…I'll be ready, Tamiko. _She drifted off to sleep, knowing she would get a good night's rest.

**End Chapter**


	9. Chapter 9 Breaking Apart

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 9: Breaking Apart

Naruto came back after 2 weeks, bringing with them Tsunade, the new appointed hokage. She was strong. And by strong, it means carry-a-50-meter-gigantic-sword-and-not-even-break-a-sweat strong. A lot of Konoha kunoichi idolized her. Sakura and Ino were one of them. Katana simply had a lot of respect for her. As soon as Naruto got back, Katana found him at Ichiraku's with Iruka-sensei.  
She tackled him from behind. "You're back!" she yelled happily. He laughed and resumed eating ramen. "By the way, Naruto", she said, "Swing by the hospital later. Sasuke's there. Sakura and I will wait for you." Naruto's head jerked up from the bowl. "What? What happened to him?" he asked. Katana didn't know how to explain it. "I'll um…I'll tell you the whole story later." But the blonde would have none of her excuses. He quickly inhaled his food, wiped his mouth and ran along side of Katana towards the hospital.

Both Naruto and Katana saw an unexpected scene before them. Sakura was there, which meant she arrived earlier. That wasn't surprising. The confusing part was that several pieces of cut apples lay on the floor. Sakura was holding her wrist, which seemed to be bruised. And she stared at Sasuke wide-eyed. Sasuke was glaring at Naruto. Katana knew Sasuke didn't like Sakura back, but she also knew that Sasuke had never harmed her physically before. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Naruto asked the moody boy. "Naruto…", said Sasuke, "Fight me…NOW." It sounded like a threat and Katana didn't particularly like where this was going.

She motioned for Sakura to stay by her side. She obliged. "What are you talking about? You're still recovering." Naruto replied but he was cut off. "Shut up and fight me!" growled Sasuke, activating his Sharingan. Sakura looked worried. "Naruto, tell him to stop!" begged Sakura. Naruto only smirked. "I was also waiting for this all along." He said. Katana furrowed her eyebrows together. "Naruto! Sasuke! Both of you stop right now." She ordered. At times like this, she needed to go commando. But they ignored her. "Come with me." Sasuke told Naruto, signaling his head. Naruto followed outside and climbed up the stairs that led to the rooftop. Katana and Sakura followed behind.

The two girls stayed by the side. Katana gripped the handle of her sword, readying for any hints of danger. "Sakura", she said. The pink haired girl turned to her. "Both of us know that this will not end well. I will try my best to stop them, if they reach the killing point. But if I failed to do so, please call Kakashi-sensei." Sakura nodded in understanding.

Sasuke and Naruto began trash talking each other. Sasuke seemed to lose his cool. It was so unlike him. It was usually Naruto who would get riled up. But right now, Naruto was confident of himself.

"Admit it!" teased Naruto. "You're still too weak, Sasuke-CHAN!"

"NARUTO!" roared Sasuke in anger.

"SASUKE!" yelled Naruto in the same tone.

They made a mad dash towards each other and aimed a punch. Both blocked the attack. Naruto used Kage Bunshin. Hundreds of Narutos attacked. Sasuke dodged them all. He did the tiger hand seal. "Katon!" A huge breath of fire swept off the clones. When the flames diminished, two Narutos remained, a solid ball of chakra in their hands. Katana focused on Naruto. _A new jutsu?_

She asked herself. Looking up at Sasuke, she noticed that he used a Chidori. Katana eyes widened. _Looks like Sasuke does want to kill Naruto! _

"S-Stop!" yelled Sakura. Both lunged for each others' necks. Katana knew she had to move fast. Before she could, Sakura went in. "Sakura!" She ran in between using her katana to deflect Naruto's jutsu, hugging Sakura tightly so that she wouldn't be hurt and braced the other side of her body for the impact of the Chidori. She shut her eyes closed.

Sparks cut her skin but that was it. The powerful thrust that she'd been waiting for never came. "Waahhh!" screamed a voice that resembled Naruto. She opened one eye and put a hand on the wounded part. "You okay, Sakura?" she whispered to her friend. Sakura only nodded. She was frightened. Looking up, she saw the face of Kakashi. _It seems like he threw them in opposite directions…_ she thought and winced as the wound stung.

"Hey! You two! What are you thinking, fighting in the hospital's rooftop? If you're fighting, then you're overdoing it, both of you." He reprimanded. She turned to him. But in a flash he was gone. He showed up above Sasuke. "Why did you use Chidori?" he asked him. "Were you really planning to kill him?" By the mention of that, Naruto, Sakura and Katana's heads snapped at their direction. Sasuke shrugged it off and scowled at Kakashi for stopping them. Katana glared at his back as he walked off. She then heard sniffling beside her. "Sa-sakura-chan…" She was crying. Katana expected this. She patted Sakura's back gently. "They'll be fine…" she comforted but knew that it wasn't true.

Kakashi jumped of to the two young ladies. "It's all right. Everything will go back as it used to be." He forced a smile at Sakura. He didn't need to do this to Katana for he knew that she understood everything already as it is. Sakura smiled back. She nodded her thanks. _Seems like Sakura doesn't understand…_she thought gravely. She left her with Naruto.

Later on that night…

Katana couldn't sleep. She twisted and turned in her comfortable bed yet somehow sleep refused to welcome her. Sighing she got out of the bed. Kakashi wasn't home. He had a mission to do. Meanwhile, Pakkun was deep asleep. Opening the window, she jumped right out and took a night stroll.

The moon glowed softly making the Katana's reflection crystal clear on the cool pond. She looked around. There was no one around. She was all alone. She decided it too quickly. "Tap, tock, tap, tock, tap…" It was a series of weird sounds, but Katana was sure it was another person. She climbed back up the bridge quietly. There, she saw Lee, holding a lotus bloom with only two petals in it, the other hand holding his crutch. He looked depressed and sullen. She cleared her throat. He jerked his head back. "K-Katana!" he squeaked out in surprise. "What are you doing out her this late?" he asked. Katana smiled teasingly. "I should ask the same to you." She said.

Her expression turned from teasing to concern. "Are you okay?" she asked him. He looked down for a moment and then smiled a full blast grin at her. "I'm fine!" he stated and gave her a thumbs-up. Katana frowned. She propped up her arms on the railings of the bridge. "You shouldn't force yourself to smile, Lee. It just makes the pain even worse." With that, Lee dropped the facade. "S-sorry." He muttered guiltily. She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize. Just let me help you…What happened?" she asked once again. He bit his lip and slowly faced her. Figuring she could be of great help, he let it all out on her. "I don't know what to do. Tsunade-sama said that if the operation fails, I'll die. But I don't want to quit my life as a ninja yet…" Katana listened intently. Lee sighed. "What should I do?"

Katana took her chance to talk. "You know… us shinobi, we all have our dreams." She said. "Some of us found it difficult to reach their dreams, so they quit. Others tried to find another way of reaching it and failed miserably." She looked at Lee in the eyes, her grey eyes shining elegantly. "But only a few determined ones would take the risk…the hard way to fulfill their goals and refuse to give up even on the brink of death." She gave a smile. "And they are usually the ones to succeed in life." Lee's eyes widened. "I hope you know what to do now, Lee." She said. With a pat on the back, she said goodnight and walked home. Lee found himself thinking deeply about what she said. A true smile graced his lips. "Thank you… Katana-chan." he whispered into the breeze. A hand was brought down to his shoulder. He looked up and smiled. "Gai-sensei."

Katana walked down the road. Somehow, she felt less…sad.  
She took the path that leads to the park benches, the place where they first stayed as a group. As she went nearer, she saw two figures.  
A pink one and a blue one. _Sasuke and Sakura! But what are they doing there?_ She asked herself and hid behind a tree. She peeked a bit and immediately noticed 3 wrong things in the picture. One, Sasuke had a bag with him. Two, Sakura was crying and begging him 'not to go away'. And lastly, Katana had this sick feeling in her gut that tells her something will go terribly bad. Sasuke appeared behind Sakura. "Thank you…" A faint whisper was heard in the air as he knocked Sakura out. He laid her down on a bench. Katana got out of her hiding spot. "Wait!" she shouted. Sasuke looked at her. "What do you want?" he asked, but not in his usually cold tone. He sounded regretful and sad, as if he didn't want to go, but needed to. "Please…" Katana begged. "Don't go."

"It won't be the same…without you. Sakura, Naruto, me and Kakashi-sensei… We care for you a lot!" her voice was shaking. "Please don't leave us, Sasuke-kun. Please don't leave your family behind." She begged. For a moment, he seemed to consider it. Katana's hopes rose.

"Took you long enough." A voice mumbled. Katana looked up. Four shadowy figures were waiting for him. Sasuke turned his back on her. "I'm going to Orochimaru." He told her. She looked down. "Don't take this the wrong way. I am an avenger. I have to become stronger. Take care of them for me." He began walking away. He spared her a last glance. "Tell them… I'm sorry." He went off with the others. Katana gritted her teeth together. She balled her fists. _Naruto…Sakura…I'm sorry, I've failed you. _Her body shook hard with sadness and frustration. A drop of rain water hit her nose. It started to rain hard. She hurriedly carried Sakura out of the rain. Every drop that hit her seemed to hurt. Katana knew that feeling well. Pain…Loneliness… The same things that made Sasuke leave them behind to seek for revenge.

The next morning…

Katana ran as fast as her legs could do. She needed to tell Naruto before someone else does. She was panicking. How would she tell the hyperactive blonde that his rival/best friend/enemy ran away from the village to seek power from a dangerously insane man for revenge? "Arrgghh…" she groaned out. When she reached Naruto's door, something bumped into her. "Ow!" both of them complained.

She stood up angrily. "Watch where you're going!" she said. "Troublesome woman, you're the one who needs to watch it." The guy answered lazily. Her eyes widened. "Shi-Shikamaru?"

"Ka-Katana? The hell are you doing here?" he asked. She crossed her arms. "I'm here to speak to Naruto. What are YOU doing here?" she asked in return. "Same…" he sighed. They knocked on the door. It opened slowly and the said blonde peeked a bit. "What are you guys…*yawn…doing here?" he asked sleepily.

"Sasuke left the village!"

"Sasuke left us behind!" They both shouted at the same time.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Naruto, horrified and confused. They looked at each other. "Let me speak first!" Again they yelled together. Getting irritated, Shikamaru clamped a hand on Katana's mouth. Her eyes widened in shock and anger. Her look was like 'oh-you-did-not-just-do-that!'. "We have a mission. We need to go after him!" explained Shikamaru. Glaring at the Nara, she bit his hand. He yelped and withdrew his hand, glaring at her. She turned to Naruto. "Naruto, he left the village yesterday at night. I saw him go." She said. Shikamaru cleared his throat to get their attention. "We've got no time. Come on!" They ran. "I need five excellent ninjas." He added.

After asking Chouji, Kiba and Neji, they were complete. "Good, we already have the 5-man team. Let's go." He ordered. "Wait, wait, wait." Said Katana. She counted them. "We're six people. How does that make us a five-man team?" All boys stared at her. Kiba tried to talk first. "Well, um, Katana-chan…" he started. Chouji picked up the next sentence. "You might get hurt so maybe it's better if…" he trailed off. "…you let us handle this one." Finished Neji. Katana looked at them incredulously, mouth agape. "You'..!" she exploded. "Just because I'm a girl, it doesn't make me weaker than you guys are! And I have every right to go with you! Sasuke is my friend!" she said. Shikamaru sighed. "Look, woman, I'm—"

"Call me 'woman' again and this is the last time you'll see daylight." She threatened, sword at hand. The boys were amazed on how fast an angry girl could fight back. Shikamaru threw his hands up in frustration. "Look, wo-er, Katana! I am the squad leader here. It's better if no one gets hurt." He told her. "Oh, so if I come with you, I'm going to get hurt?" she asked sarcastically. "We're wasting time…" muttered Neji as reminder. "I'm not saying that…" said Shikamaru. "Then what are you saying?" she asked angrily.

Naruto took her shoulders and shook her lightly. "Katana-chan!" he shouted to get her attention. She turned to him with a look of disappointment. He stared at her. She sighed and looked down. "It's my fault Sasuke left the village…" she whispered low for only the boys to hear. "When I saw him go, I didn't stop him…It's my entire fault." She looked down and closed her eyes, waiting for Naruto's angry reaction.

"You shouldn't feel guilty because of that." She heard Naruto say. She looked up at him. He was smiling brightly. Kiba 'hmphed'. "We all know how ignorant he is…" he said. "And he's arrogant." Added Neji. "You shouldn't be blamed for his actions!" cheered Chouji. "I don't even like the guy…" muttered Shikamaru. Katana snorted, and then shook her head with a small smile. "Thanks…" she mumbled, looking at each one. Faint blushes appeared in their cheeks. "Wait up!" someone called out. They turned to look. "Sakura!" they all said in surprise. She was panting. "I heard you were going on a mission after Sasuke." Shikamaru was about to answer, when Katana beat him to it.  
"Let's have the guys handle it." she told her. Sakura started to cry. "Naruto…I couldn't bring him back. I couldn't stop him." She sobbed. The guys were becoming uncomfortable with her crying. "Please, I beg you…Bring Sasuke back!" she pleaded. Katana draped a comforting arm around her. "There, there, Sakura…Shh, everything going to be alright." Naruto did a thumbs-up. "I'll bring him back, Sakura-chan! It's a lifetime promise!" he said. Katana looked at him. _Naruto… _she thought worriedly. "Come on, Sakura-chan. I'll make hot cocoa for you at home." The girl followed. She turned back at the team. "I'll give you a time limit of two hours. If no one is back here after that time, I'm backing up you guys." She said. This time, Shikamaru didn't argue. "Yeah, whatever. Tsk, troublesome." She had to smile. She waved goodbye and led Sakura in her house.

Katana was pissed. Oh, she was beyond pissed. When she gave them the time limit, she thought they'd understand that they should be back by now. Three and a half hours already past and not a single one of them was there. Seeing that Sakura had already fallen asleep on the couch, she figured it wouldn't hurt to leave her for a while. She got out of the house and found Pakkun staring up at her. "Oh hey." She greeted nervously. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked. "Um, I dunno. I'll just take a stroll perhaps." She lied. Pakkun shook his head hard. "No way. Nu-uh. Not this time young…" he looked around. "…lady." He sighed. "Gone again."

Katana ran fast. She had to. Muttering something about 'senseless guys', she went out of the gate without the guards knowing it. Her sword was on her hand, a scroll in the other and a kunai in her mouth. Her eyes were sharp, glancing at every opening direction possible. While running, she opened the scroll. With a 'poof', Pakkun showed up in a tree branch. "Come on!" ordered Katana, taking out the kunai from her mouth. Pakkun ran ahead of her. "I knew you'd summon me. Where's the surprise?" he sighed. "No time to scold me." She said. "Pick up Naruto's scent and track him!"

Pakkun obeyed. No sooner, they arrived at an open field. Katana found Naruto, whose fox features had been more emphasized. In front of him was the opponent. He had white hair, green eyes and pale skin. There were two red dots on his forehead and red shading under his eyes. On a corner, she saw Sasuke's figure run away. "Naruto!" Katana yelled at the boy. He turned around. "Chase Sasuke! I'll handle this!" He nodded and fled the battle area. Katana took up his place. "I am Kimimaro. Your name?" asked the opponent. Katana noticed that he was a decent one. "I am…" she paused. A thought came up to her mind. She smirked and put on a battle stance. "I am Katana Yotsuki of Kumogakure! Prepare to fight!" she declared. Kimimaro seemed amused at her confidence. "Very well…" bones tore his skin. Katana's eyes widened in horror and disgust. "As you wish." He charged.

**End Chapter**

Since our Christmas Break has ended and I have to go back to school, I'll be slower on updating the story. I'm really busy at school. But I'll try to update in 2 times in a week, 'kay? Sorry people.

Yours truly, KatanaSabaku


	10. Chapter 10 Two Knights in Shining Armor

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 10: Two Knights in Armor

His bone and her sword clashed together. Black and gold bore into green orbs. "You're a worthy opponent." He stated emotionlessly. "You are too." She said, just as dry. She jerked her hand quickly to slash at his chest. He dodged and more bones came up from his body. Her eyes narrowed, thinking of a way on how to put a scratch on him. Both of them were close and medium range fighters and their strength almost matched. It was hard to know who will win. The wind blew. She charged once again with a new plan in mind.

She held her sword at only one hand. He got prepared and exposed his ribcage this time. She aimed her sword at his chest again and it got stuck on the bones. Getting the wanted result she let go of the sword. Her opponent's eyes widened slightly. "Dendou Tsume!" she shouted and aimed for his stomach, the only part of his body that Katana found vulnerable.

Her arm pierced his flesh and it went out on his back. She smirked. It was successful. He coughed out blood but other than that, he had no reaction. Inside his body, Katana felt something poke her arm. Her eyes widened and she screamed in agony. She pulled her arm back, which was now covered in his and her blood. There were small holes in her arm. _He could even control his bones to get in there? _

He made his shoulder blade appear and pulled it out, using it as a knife. He tossed her sword to her and she caught in with ease. Now, she had to fight him single-handedly. _This is going to be difficult._ She told herself. He wiped the blood on his chin. "Let us continue." He said. She nodded. _This guy could control his bones all over his body. He could multiply or decrease the number. _Thoughts ran around her mind. _But what is his weak point?_ "Kuroi Kago!"

Black bars sprung up from the ground.

Kimimaro only ran away from it. She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Junsei Kurayami!" Black fumes covered Kimimaro's line of vision. Katana charged. He blocked the attack and cut through her. The body went 'poof'. The real Katana attacked from behind and buried her sword within his back. She pulled it out and jumped back for some distance. Kimimaro's breath was already ragged. But despite that, he was still calm.

_At least, I managed to wound him…__ but I need something that will throw him off. _Katana gathered chakra in her hands. _If this misses, I'm dead. _She thought. Her veins were sore from releasing too much. A fierce growl was heard. The chakra ball formed into a tiger's head. "Dendou…Tora!" she yelled and charged. Her speed increased greatly and she managed to hit him. 1000 volts ran throughout his body and he fell on the ground. She backed away a bit. She was breathing irregularly. Both of her arms were worn out.

She had a relieved smile on her face. "I…I did it." She sighed. However, it was wiped off quickly. Kimimaro stood up, smoke radiating out of his body. Katana couldn't believe what she saw. He was perfectly fine. "H-how?" she gasped out. Her curse subsided.

He was walking towards her. She backed one step away with every step he takes. "I had my bones cover me. They are made of minerals so they are poor conductors of electricity." He explained. She was shaking. She grabbed for her sword. Not that it would be much of help in her current state. Fear crept up her spine. She knew it. She was going to die right here…right now.

With a flick of Kimimaro's wrist, he brought down his knife. She raised her own sword to block it. But instead of a blade, a hand caught the sharp bone.

It wasn't hers. The hand belonged to a boy clad in a green jumpsuit.

She sighed and smiled. Tears of relief formed at the corners of her eyes. "Lee-kun…" His back was turned to her but she was pretty sure he was smiling as well. "Katana-chan, please move somewhere far and rest for a while." He said. She nodded and took off to the nearest tree shade.

"And you are?" asked Kimimaro. Lee brought up his hands in front. "Konoha's green beast has returned. I am Rock Lee!" he introduced. They began to fight. He was faster than Katana was and Kimimaro was impressed. Everything was going quite well when, "Please wait!" he said. Kimimaro stopped. "…What is it?" he asked calmly. "I forgot to drink my medicine. Please, let me have a moment." He said. To Katana's surprise, Kimimaro lowered his weapon and waited for Lee. She sweat dropped. _Doing that in the middle of the battle? Lee, you really are something…_

He drank it liquid all the way. Then something weird happened to him. He began to sway uncontrollably, back and forth. A pink blush tainted his face. Katana focused on him. _Is he…_

Lee began to hiccup. _DRUNK? _Kimimaro was staring at him. Lee caught him. "Wha'sha lookin' at?" he shrieked, his words slurring. Katana paled. He IS indeed drunk. He began attacking Kimimaro. His movements were faster than before and unpredictable. Katana's eyes couldn't follow anymore. He hit the opponent several times. All of a sudden, he fell on his back against the ground and made snoring noises.

"The hell?" Katana exclaimed as Kimimaro approached the sleeping boy, dagger at hand. Katana prepared to interfere when Lee suddenly shot up from the ground and punched Kimimaro on the face. "Ahaha… you fell for it!" he yelled. Katana's eye twitched in disbelief. After several moments, he dropped on the grass again. "Tell me you're faking it…" she pleaded for no one in particular. When Kimimaro approached, once again he shot up. He kept doing this. Katana could sense that Kimimaro was losing his cool. He was losing. He couldn't land any attack and couldn't dodge anything that Lee sent on his direction.

He made bones appear in his arm. Lee watched from a distance. "I will end your drunkenness." He told Lee. "I am not drunk!" shouted Lee as an angry protest. He charged. Kimimaro managed to block this time and scratch Lee on the face. Lee stumbled backwards. Blood oozed from the wound. Lee seemed to have lost his uncontrollable mood. "Maybe I was drunk after all…" he muttered silently. He looked at Kimimaro. His ribcage was exposed. "My Kekkei Genkai (Advanced Bloodline Limit) is controlling bones. The human body has about 200 bones, but I can make bones more than that number." He explained. Lee charged. "In the end, bones are bones. And when bones are broken, it's over!"

His feet were blocked by those bones in Kimimaro's arm. Lee jumped back. Those bones were stronger than the usual ones. "In that case…" said Lee as he disappeared and reappeared behind him. But Kimimaro let out more of his steel-like bones all over his body and whirled, cutting Lee everywhere. Lee winced and fell on the ground. He stood up again this time, using the Initial Lotus. But his foot was stuck on Kimimaro's bones. "Die!" said Kimimaro, sending one of his bones towards Lee's face in high speed.

_His body could take no more__..._ Katana grit her teeth before dashing back on the battlefield and using all her strength to tackle Lee on the ground to protect him. When Lee fell on the ground, it was her who earned the large gash on her curse mark. She winced and shook. Lee wrapped a protective arm around her. Kimimaro was about to attack again when sand prevented him. _Sand…_

One name entered her mind: Gaara. More grainy particles surrounded the two of them and carried them away. They stopped in front of the sand-wielder.

"Who are you?" asked Kimimaro.

Gaara looked at him coldly, his arms crossed on his chest. "Konoha's ally, the Sand shinobi… Sabaku no Gaara."

Lee moved from below Katana and let her rest on the bed of sand. She was turning paler. The gash stung a lot and she didn't understand why. Her curse mark lit gold and she screamed. "Ahhhhh!" The pain was too much. Her body racked as she spat out blood. Her earlier wounds began to bleed a lot again as well. Lee panicked. He hastily wiped the cold sweat on her forehead. Her hands were turning white. She let out another sound of agony. Gaara gave her one glance before stepping in front of them protectively.

Kimimaro put on a battle stance. "So that's who you are…" He threw his fingertip bones like bullets. Gaara's sand rose up in his defense and the bones fell on the ground. "You…" said Gaara, "when we last fought, you had more agility and speed." He told Lee.

Lee nodded. "Not that I'm holding any grudge, but because of you, I've had quite a bit of trouble." He answered. "By the way, why are you here?" he asked the redhead. Gaara looked at Katana again. "I have a big debt to Konoha." He answered simply. The harsh wind blew. Katana shuddered in the cold air. Warm sand embraced her, providing more comfort. Lee stood up and got ready to fight again. Gaara turned to him. "I'll take care of this." He said. Lee shook his head hard. _I need to show Katana I'm strong enough… _he thought but Gaara has other plans. Lee began to charge. "Please be my back-up." He told Gaara. Sand wrapped around his leg and pulled him back, causing him to trip and fall face-forward.

He faced Gaara with an annoyed expression on his face. "Please let go!" he said. Gaara walked forward. "You are in no condition to fight. I'll do it." Sand came out of his gourd. "Take care of Katana." He ordered Lee. In that, Lee had no protests. He rushed to Katana's side. She was still shaking. "T-tell Ga-gaara… 'be c-careful'…" she whimpered, pain hitting her again. Lee hugged her close but sand punched him lightly in the arm. He flinched and glared at Gaara. He glared right back at Lee, his look saying, 'do-not-touch-her-unless-really-necessary'. More sand was wrapped around Katana to build up enough heat. The fight between Gaara and Kimimaro began. Gaara held the upper hand. Because his sand does him both defense and offense, he could attack within a distance.

Katana stared at Gaara. He wasn't even moving from his place. She smiled. Suddenly, a rush of great pain overcame her body again. Her head was throbbing. "Agghhh…" She groaned out, her throat too dry to scream. She looked at Kimimaro. Just as she thought. He activated his curse seal. When he cut her arm, his blood mixed with hers and his curse reacted with hers. The result wasn't good. The torture increased as Kimimaro fully transformed. She knew she had to stop it soon or else his blood will become a poison inside her body. Reaching for her sword, she grabbed the blade and let it touch the wound in her arm that had tiny holes in it. Lee's hand stopped her. "What are you doing?" he asked in alarm. She shook her head. "It's okay, Lee." She told him. He let go. As soon as the cool blade came in contact with her hot skin, she hissed. She pushed it in each of the wounds quickly. She bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming. _If I scream…It would only distract Gaara. _

As more blood oozed out, she felt the pain go away. Sighing, she wiped her forehead and sat up. "Thank goodness…" she breathed out. She looked for Gaara. He was there far away from them, his body wrapped and in front, a large Shukaku statue made of sand protecting him from Kimimaro's attacks. "I will remain in Orochimaru's heart forever…" Kimimaro said. Gaara spoke. "You've been brainwashed by Orochimaru? How pathetic." He did a jutsu. The white-haired monster slowly sunk on the sand below his feet. He thrashed wildly, attempting to escape. The sand Shukaku vanished so did the protective wall of sand.

Kimimaro was consumed fast by the big quicksand. Lee's eyes bulged. "What a huge amount of chakra…" he muttered beside Katana. "And he's almost out of it." She added. Lee turned to her. "What?"

"You'll be sinking 200 meters underground and be held there. With the sand's pressure, you will be unable to move a finger." Gaara deadpanned. Not a moment after he said that, Kimimaro was out of sight. The sinkhole hardened like a rock.

Katana gasped. "You…You got him!" she cheered with a big grin. Gaara was relieved to hear her voice once again but his eyes focused on the sand. Silence gone by. Another gush of breeze blew. "Mai…" they heard from below. All eyes widened in shock and terror. "Sawarabi no Mai." 5 meter-long, sharp bones shot up from everywhere in the ground. They were heading fast towards Lee and Katana. Panicking, they started to run away, but sand caught them with ease and lifted them up away from the deadly thorns. "Thank you…" said Lee. Though he didn't like the guy, he never forgets his manners. Katana smiled and thanked him as well. "He should be dead now, right?" asked Katana nervously. Gaara stared at her grey orbs. "I don't know…" he admitted. She and Lee shared a look and hoped that the damned guy would be already.

They now looked down at the forest of ivory bones. After waiting for a few minutes Gaara finally said, "He was stubborn. But this is the end. He will no longer come back up again." Katana sighed. Gaara flinched slightly. Her head jerked back to him. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. He heaved a deep breath. "I am at my limit. We need to go down." he told them.

"It's not brainwashing…" a voice hissed. Katana didn't know if she heard right. Looking behind Gaara, she saw the half of the body of Kimimaro with a huge weapon fixed in his arm. His calm expression faded and was replaced by hatred and anger. "Orochimaru-sama did everything for me! This is because of my decision! What do you know about it?" he screamed before sending down his transformed arm to Gaara. Without thinking, Katana pulled back Gaara by his shirt and placed herself in his previous position, shielding him from any harm. Her curse activated once again.

Her heart thundered inside her chest as she stared at the sharp point of his sword. _What did I just do? _She asked herself. Blood dripped down from Kimimaro's chin. He was no longer moving. "He's dead." Concluded Lee. Gaara stared at the back of Katana's dark brown hair. _She… she saved me…she shielded me…_ He couldn't believe it. The sand went down. The trio rested in the nearest tree shade. Katana sat between the two boys.

"We would've been defeated…" muttered Gaara. Lee shook his head. "We were lucky. Gai-sensei always said that luck is a part of strength." He said proudly. Katana looked at him and smiled. "That busybody…" she heard Gaara say. Turning as his direction, she almost burst out laughing if not for Lee's protest. "He's not a busybody!" he sounded insulted. "That time, it was my own weakness. Please don't talk about him like that!" Lee said indignantly. Katana couldn't blame the guy. She wouldn't want anyone to insult Kakashi-sensei as well.

"You're the same…" mumbled Gaara. "If the person you adore is insulted, you get angry. To fight for that person…" he looked up the sky. "He's the same as Uzumaki Naruto… although the person important to you isn't always good." Katana's gaze softened. _He's learning…that's good. _Lee thought deeply. "You don't have to admire someone bad." He answered. "No." Gaara told him. "Even if you knew they were evil…no one can defeat loneliness." Katana knew he was right.

Lee remembered something. "Katana-chan!" he shouted. Katana looked at him nervously. "Eh? N-nani?" she asked. He stood up quickly. "I went out of the hospital without Tsunade-sama knowing. I need to go back." He said. She nodded and with a 'whoosh' of air, he disappeared. Gaara and Katana were left under the tree shade's comfort. Turning slightly at his direction she saw his changes. He was wearing a reddish brown shirt with longer sleeves and an upright collar this time. A white cloth draped over his outfit and a mesh shirt inside. His face had matured a bit and his eyes lost their bloodlust. He caught her staring at him. Her head jerked forward and she blushed.

"We should get you to the hospital." He said. Katana looked at him again and noticed that his eyes were fixed at her wounds. "Oh…okay then. Guess it wouldn't hurt." She stood up. He mimicked her. "Let me carry you." He stated. She turned to him with wide eyes. "Wait, wait, what?" He was dead serious. "Let me carry you on the way." He repeated. Her face reddened even more. She shook her head hard. "N-no. No, no, no. I'm fi— ahh!" She yelped as he carried her bridal style. She looked up on his face. A faint blush tainted his pale face. She sighed and smiled. "Well, if you insist this much…" she rested her head on his chest in a comfortable position and he felt his cheeks grow warm. He started to walk out of the grassy field with Katana in his arms.

As he jumped from branch to branch, he couldn't help but glance continuously at the sleeping girl in his arms. Her face gleamed in the tiny rays of sun, making her look more beautiful. Soft brown hair covered her face. Jumping down, he walked inside the village. The guards did not restrict him nor did they attack him. They let him get inside and upon seeing Katana; they immediately pointed him to the direction of the hospital. He dashed there.

**End Chapter**


	11. Chapter 11 Real Father

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 11: Real Father

"Beep…beep…beep…" the monitor beside her was the only sound that her mind registered. Her mind wandered off to another topic. The one that's been bothering everyone. _Naruto…Sasuke…where are you guys? _She thought. Kakashi dropped by earlier that day right after his mission and said that he'll be the one to find the boys. _Why did I let him go? Why did I let this happen?…Why…? _Her head ached terribly. And so did her heart.

Thunder boomed outside the hospital. Rain poured down hard. Katana jerked her head towards the direction of the window. The boiling pit of worry in her stomach worsened. _It can't be…He's gone…_ She didn't know how she knew, but she was sure. Her fist balled clumps of the bed sheet. She gritted her jaw. "It's all my fault…" she blamed herself bitterly as tears showered down on her face. _Sasuke…_

Chouji and Neji only have a 50% chance of living, Kiba was hurt badly and she predicted that Naruto is too. _And why…? Because I didn't stop him…It's my fault… _Sighing angrily and wiping her tears away, she got out of bed and reached for the door knob. She turned it and got out, only to be surprised by something. "It's alright now." Tsunade declared to Shikamaru, his dad and Temari, who's sitting on the waiting bench. "Akimichi Chouji is fine. The destruction of his cells were stopped using an antidote I made." Hurried footsteps dashed in the hallway as well. Shizune, Tsunade's assistant appeared with a relieved smile. Wiping sweat off her forehead, she said, "Hyuuga Neji's condition has been stabilized." A wide smile grew in Katana's face. Hope built up in her again. Shizune sighed tiredly. "Also, Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto have returned." The smile faded. _…So…Sasuke is gone… _

Shikamaru's stature shook. He was crying. "Next time…I'll definitely show that I can do it!" he exclaimed. Shikamaru's father smiled. Temari seemed confused at his change of behavior, but grinned as well. Although silently in grief, Katana forced a smile. Shizune turned to her. "Would you like to see Naruto-san?" she offered politely. Katana perked up. "Ah, h-hai!" She went with the lady.

Staring at the door, Katana hesitatingly opened it. Peeking in slightly, she saw Naruto covered in bandages. "Naruto…" she breathed out sadly. Something bumped into her and sent her and that person stumbling inside. Naruto stared at them and his lips formed into a wide grin. "Katana! Shikamaru!" he cheered. Katana grunted. "Get off me…" she complained but the Nara obliged. Shikamaru stood up and told Naruto a summarized version about Neji, Chouji and Kiba. Naruto turned to her. "What about you Katana-chan? Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm fine. Lee backed me up…And so did Gaara." She trailed off. Both boys stared at her. "Thick Brows and that sand lunatic?" he asked, using his own words. A vein popped out of her forehead. "Sure…" she hissed through clenched teeth indignantly. Suddenly, Naruto looked sad. "Sasuke…" he whispered lowly. "He got away…" Katana's gaze lowered. Closing her eyes, she said, "It's not your fault. I was the one who didn't stop him when I had the chance."

The door creaked open. The three teens turned around to see Sakura standing at the doorway with Tsunade-sama. "Sa-Sakura-chan…" said Naruto, but immediately avoided her eyes. Katana felt tears coming to her again. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan…" said Naruto. "Gomenasai… Sakura-chan…" apologized Katana, looking at the floor. Sakura only laughed. "What are you two talking about? You sound so weird." She walked in the room and flung open the curtains. It wasn't raining anymore. "It's a good weather today!" cheered Sakura.

"I'll keep my promise, Sakura-chan!" yelled Naruto. "I will!" Sakura stared out of the window. "Naruto-kun, you don't have to—" She was interrupted. "I won't go back on my word!" Sakura turned her head to his direction. She bit her lip hopefully. Katana let a smile take over her. "And we'll get Sasuke back…together." Sakura and Naruto stared at her. They smiled. "Together." They agreed and hugged. Tsunade sighed happily as she watched them. She got out. Sakura followed later on. Katana went outside to find Kakashi.

"What would you tell me… eh? Obito…" said Kakashi, staring at the marble statue. Katana approached the occupied man and hugged his waist from behind. Kakashi jumped a bit at the contact, but relaxed later on. He faced her. "I'm sorry I was late, Katana-chan…" he apologized. She shook her head. "No one is to be blamed." She said. "We'll bring him back again." She smiled at him, a real smile now. Kakashi smiled back. "Let's go." He said. Katana didn't know exactly where, but she followed. They walked side by side on the quiet road. "3 years… you have that amount of time to train before Akatsuki makes its move and Sasuke's out of reach." She nodded quickly in understanding.

"When will you go?" asked Kakashi. His voice had a hint of sadness in it. Katana noticed this. "Probably sometime this week." She answered. "I'll miss you." She added. Looking at him, she saw a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. "I'll miss you too." He said. They shared a look. When they got home, she packed her bags, just in case. Looking out on her window, she saw the stars glowing. She didn't know when exactly he's coming, but she knew it's soon enough.

The next day…

There was a great ruckus in the Hokage Tower. Everyone was running here and there, grabbing folders, letters and scrolls. All were panicking. "Tsunade-sama!" yelled Shizune as she burst inside the office. The sleeping Kage bolted up from her sleeping position. "What's wrong?" Tsunade half-asked, half-yawned. She rubbed her eyes. "Tsunade-sama!" shouted the exasperated assistant. "Raikage-sama sent a letter. He's visiting Konoha today!" Tsunade fell out of her chair in shock. "Say what?"

In the gates of Konoha…

Katana and Shikamaru escorted the Suna shinobi until the gates. "See you. Be careful in going home." Said Shikamaru. Kankuro smirked. "Yeah." Temari stepped forward. "If anything happens, we'll help you out again. Okay, crybaby?" laughed Temari. Shikamaru laughed back. "Troublesome woman." Shikamaru turned and walked back. It was Katana's turn. "Goodbye Temari-san, Kankuro-san. Goodbye, Gaara-kun." She said and bowed. Temari shook her head softly. "Please, call me Temari." She told her and gave the girl a friendly hug.  
Katana smiled and hugged back. "Okay, Temari-chan." Temari released and winked at her. Kankuro stepped forward. He offered a friendly handshake. "Call me Kankuro." Katana shook it and chuckled. "Kankuro it is then." Kankuro smirked. "For a girl, you're pretty cool."

"Thanks." Said Katana. The two walked away slowly. Gaara stayed. He wore his usual poker face expression. Bowing slightly, he spoke, "Goodbye, Hatake Kata—" He was caught off guard by a sudden hug. He blushed. "Be careful…I'll see you in three years." She drew back. "You're going to be a great ninja, Gaara-kun. I just know it. When I see you again, let's spar." She smiled brightly.  
Gaara stared at her. Nothing seems to dampen her spirit. Not that he wanted her sad. She looks beautiful with that radiant smile. And he would do anything to keep her smiling. "Of course. A spar, then. Goodbye, Katana." He said and finally walked away with Temari and Kankuro. Turning back, she caught up with Shikamaru, who was talking with an ANBU guard.

"Shikamaru? Is something wrong?" she asked. Shikamaru turned to her. "Katana, we need to go to the Hokage's Office. Tsunade-sama called for you." The two of them hurried.

Inside the Office….

"So you mean to tell me that you expected him to come…?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade sighed. She studied the grey-eyed girl intently. She was dead serious. No signs of mischief or amusement in any way. "You will show up, won't you?" asked Tsunade. Katana nodded. "Of course." The Hokage sighed once again. "Dismissed." Katana walked towards the door, when Tsunade asked another question. "How on earth did you know that he'll come here?" she asked incredulously. A small smile appeared on the girl's face. "I just do." She answered before going out.

The gentle passing breeze gave her the comfort she needed. There she was, all alone in the wide open training field. Her katana was laid down on the grass beside her. Looking around, her eyes landed on the three vertical logs that stood upright from the ground.

_**Flashback:**_

"_Oi, Oi-ttebayo! No FAIR! How come Sasuke-teme gets a bell!" yelled the furious yellow ball of energy, now tied to one of the logs. Young Katana sweat dropped. 'Why did I get stuck with him in my team?' she thought miserably. _

_The Uchiha glared at the blonde. "I deserve this… dobe." _

"_Kyaa! Sasuke-kun, of course you did!" gushed Sakura. Turning to Naruto, she let out a roar. "Naruto-BAKA! You did nothing but shout!" Katana sighed. 'Why, oh why, am I stuck with them?' _

_Kakashi cleared his throat. "Sakura, Sasuke, Katana, here are your lunch. If one of you shares this with Naruto, you will all fail immediately." He threatened and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Raising an eyebrow at her tou-san's change in behavior, she snorted and pushed her food in front of Naruto's face. He gawked at her. "Eat." she ordered. "If you don't have enough energy to fight, then you will never succeed." Sakura looked at Katana indignantly. "Why are you giving him food? Kakashi-sensei just said—__"_

_Katana scoffed at the pink-haired girl. She didn't like her much. "Believe me, I know him better than you do." Hearing that, Sasuke pushed his own lunch in front of Naruto. "She's right." He agreed. Later, Sakura complied as well._

_Kakashi showed up, using a menacing tone at first (not that it had effect on Katana…) but telling them they passed later on. They celebrated and ate ramen at Ichiraku. _

_**End Flashback**_

Katana laughed at the memory. She misjudged them then. She thought Sakura was noisy, helpless, bossy and a hopeless romantic. She was wrong. Sakura had her moments when she was moody but she was a great and understanding friend who loved to read books. Katana thought Sasuke was an arrogant know-it-all, but later changed into a sometimes-kind-but-still-arrogant know-it-all. And lastly, Naruto. Katana believed the blonde was way too confident but would cower in the slightest danger. Boy was she wrong. She realized Naruto was a lot like her. He wanted to be loved and needed and he expressed it in "that" way. He was anything but a coward. His manners are not of the best, but for Katana, he is a complete gentleman. He doesn't go back on his word, even though he knows he could possibly die. Katana idolized him for this.

And now, she realized how much she missed them and how much she'd miss them more. She took a deep breath. It was almost afternoon. She picked up her sword, secured it on her hip and walked towards the gates.

Many people were gathered at the gates. There was a rather big commotion. It was the first time a Kage from another village visited Konoha on such a short notice.

Tsunade was confident, though a bit of nervousness radiated off her aura. "Raikage-dono…" she bowed in front of the tall, muscular and tanned blonde man. His white-yellow hair was slicked back; he had a waxed moustache and well trimmed beard. The Raikage had a grave expression on his face. "Hokage-dono…" he bowed as well. "It's a pleasure to have you in our village." Said Tsunade. He nodded in thanks. "Let us not waste anymore time. I'll go straight to the point. Is Yotsuki Katana here?" he asked.

Tsunade looked around, searching for any signs of Katana. She bit her lip and let herself calm down. "She is. She's supposed to head here right now but—"

"I'm here." A voice declared. The Raikage made a sharp turn. His onyx eyes widened at the sight of her. Katana had her best poker face on. She would refuse to lose her pride and beg for his forgiveness. After all, it was he who did wrong to her. She wouldn't explode as well. No, Katana held her chin high, her ash-grey eyes full of pride. "Raikage-sama… it's nice to meet you in person."

She bowed deeply, but her words were obviously mocking him. The man's expression turned sad and soft. "Katana…" he breathed out, his tone strained as if in pain. Tsunade cleared her throat. "We should probably move to a more private place." She stated and led them to them quarters.

After letting them inside the spacious room with two couches and a few more furniture and decorations, she bowed and bade her goodbye hastily. ANBU guards were placed outside for their privacy and protection.

Katana sat on the opposite direction where he did. He sighed. "Katana, I am pretty sure you know why I am here." He stated. She stared at him blankly. "Really? Why ARE you here, Raikage-sama?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm. "I am here to take you back." He said. She cocked her head to the side. "Take me back? Why would you take me back?" she asked.  
No matter how hard she tried, the anger inside her showed. He didn't reply, so she spoke again. "I thought I heard you once say that 'I'm better off without you.'? So, why take me back, Raikage-sama? Why take back the trash that you once wanted to dispose?" she burst out in pure anger and pain. She couldn't help it. It's been 7 years. 7 painfully damn years since she saw him.

He could only stare at the infuriated girl. "I'll take you back, no matter what. I will do anything." He said with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, Katana didn't want to go back. _He's the same as before. Cold, demanding and not giving a damn about me… _Her own eyes narrowed as well. "Why would you take me back? So I could be your weapon? So you could lock me up in my room again like I'm some kind of virus? How dare you…" she hissed menacingly.

Her sword-shaped curse mark stung. It was threatening to activate, but Katana controlled the urge to do so. Instead, she stood up and made her way for the door. "You can't make me go back there. Not even by force." She glared at him. "This conversation is over." She turned her back on him, only to hear a sudden 'thud'. She whirled around, drawing her sword. _So he is going to atta— _Her thoughts halted to a stop when her eyes landed on him. There he was, kneeling on the floor, his head bowed down. He was completely vulnerable against her. 100 different ways of killing him entered Katana's mind and one of them was by striking him with her sword, there and then. But she didn't. She was too shocked to even speak.

"Katana, I beg of you…forgive me." These words escaped his lips. His body shook in the sudden rush of overwhelming emotions. "I was wrong before… I was a total bastard towards you…" A pool of crystalline tears formed below his head. He was crying. "But when you saved me…I realized how unfair and uncaring I…I've been t-towards you." Katana felt tears in her eyes. _Is this really… him? T-tou-san?..._

"I-If your m-mother had been alive at this time… She'd kill me…" A strained laugh went out of his mouth. Katana drew a shaky breath. "W-why…why are y-you telling me this now?" she asked. He looked up, is eyes full of tears of regret. "I'm t-telling you this…because you are my daughter." Katana's eyes widened and tears fell to the ground. She froze in place. Did she hear right? Her father finally calling her a "daughter"?

The Raikage once again jerked his head down. "Please! Please give me another chance! Another chance to prove to you that I can be the father you wanted! Please, Katana!" he pleaded helplessly. She couldn't control her emotions anymore. _To hell with pride! _She thought happily.

She knelt down and flung her arms around her father. He hugged her tightly in a protective fatherly way. "I'm sorry…" he whispered to her for one last time. Katana let the tears flow down her cheeks. "It's okay…Tou-san." He smiled. "Thank Kami…"

"The father and daughter have finally become reunited." Kakashi sighed, a sad smile plastered on his masked face. Tsunade studied him for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be happy for her?" she asked. Kakashi nodded. "I know…but she was MY daughter too…" he said, smiling as he walked away.

**End Chapter**

Hey! Guys, I don't think I could upload it 2 times in a week. I'm really busy in school. Lots of projects, tests and the exams are coming up too. So, yeah. Sorry. Anyway, please continue reviewing these chapters. Arigatou Gozaimazu!

Yours Truly, KatanaSabaku


	12. Chapter 12 All grown up

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 12: All grown-up!

Yotsuki Katana walked in the streets of Konoha. _It's been 2 and half years…_she thought happily. Her much longer chocolate brown hair was confined in a winding braid. Her black shirt had longer sleeves and an open silver overcoat over it. Her pants turned into knee-high shorts. Her katana draped loosely by her left hip.

The place hadn't changed much, but the Hokage Mountain had another distinguished face carved in it. She smiled. "Tsunade-sama…" Walking down the road of life, she overheard a noisy conversation. "BAAAKKKAAA!" a feminine voice growled. A pink-haired girl fisted the shirt of a young blonde man in her hands. The poor guy was all covered in bruises. "You haven't changed at all!" screeched the girl again. Katana sighed. She approached them from behind. "Fighting so soon, Naruto-kun? Sakura-chan?" she asked in a teasing voice. They turned around, together with a certain silver haired man. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi stared at her.

"Um, hello. Do we know you by any chance?" asked Sakura in a friendly way. Katana blinked twice. "You…you guys don't remember me?" she asked. A pang of hurt hit her. Kakashi focused on her eyes. His own eyes widened in surprise. "You—It can't be…Katana-chan!" he exclaimed. Naruto and Sakura stared at her, jaws dropped in the ground. Katana rushed towards Kakashi and hugged him. "Tou-san! I've missed you so much!" she laughed out. Kakashi hugged her back. "My, my!" he said, drawing back. "Look how much you've grown!" Katana beamed proudly.

"K-Katana-chan!" stuttered out Naruto. "Wow! You're so…you're so…" She waited for the sentence. "You look so beautiful!" she blushed and chuckled. "Thanks…" she said. Sakura looked envious. Katana approached Sakura. The two girls hugged happily. "It's so good to see you, Katana-chan!" said Sakura. Naruto was now taller than both of the girls.

"Oi, Katana-chan?" asked Naruto. She turned to him. "Yeah?" He pointed at her braid. "How come you tied your hair. I thought you didn't want it to be restricted?" he asked. She scratched her head at the mention of it. "Ah, this…My father kept pestering me about my loose hair. So I tied it." She shrugged. Tsunade, who had been there all along, said, "Kakashi. Please explain everything." He nodded.

"From now on, there will be no more teacher and student relationships. We are now equal shinobi. You guys will be in the same team as I am." He held out something: bells. "I'm curious at how much you've developed. If you don't come at me with intent to kill, you won't succeed in taking the bells away from me. " They all smirked and shared a look.

In the training grounds…

"The rules are still the same. You have until tomorrow sunrise to get these from me." Stated Kakashi. The three teens looked around. "I missed this place…" sighed Naruto. Sakura agreed. "Yeah…" Katana sat down on the ground. "I haven't been here for a long time." Kakashi remembered something. "Right, this is where you all first trained right?" he inquired. They nodded and had a rush of nostalgia. "That time…Sasuke was there too." Said Kakashi. Silence answered him. Confused, he looked up.

An aura of despair and gloom surrounded the three. Kakashi sweat dropped. _Sasuke's name is a taboo around them, huh? _He shut his book close. "Let's go!" he said. They snapped out of their trance. Naruto smirked. "You aren't gonna read your book?" he teased. Kakashi raised his protector, revealing his famous Sharingan. They all stared at each other. Naruto was first to move. Throwing shurikens and kunais, and then making kage bunshins. Sakura was clearly amazed. Katana smirked. _He sure did grow stronger…_

He successfully cornered Kakashi in between two bunshins. Kakashi smiled. "START!" He disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sakura glanced at every direction. Left… right…above…behind…no? "ORA!" screamed Sakura as she sent a punch on the ground. Katana's eyes widened at the sudden impact and jumped away. The one mile radius of rocks and grass surrounding Sakura crumbled. "Found you!" she cheered as she spotted Kakashi. Both Naruto and Kakashi sweated nervously. Katana smirked wickedly. "Cool…" she muttered under her breath before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

It was almost night time and Naruto, Sakura and Katana were hiding behind a tree. Katana only used basic jutsus and taijutsu. Naruto used clones. While Sakura used chakra attacks. "Look, there are exactly 3 bells. One for each of us so we have to work together." Said Katana. Sakura turned to Naruto. "Even Kakashi-sensei must've had a weakness…" she inquired. Naruto was stuck in thought. His eyes suddenly widened. "Ah! He does have a weak point!" he exclaimed. Both girls looked at him. "Really?" asked Sakura. "Quick! Tell us!" urged Katana. Naruto snickered before whispering his plan. "Let's go!" they cheered at the same time.

Sakura and Naruto jumped out of the hiding spot and made an open attack. _They've got to be kidding…_thought Kakashi as he waited for them. "The last part on Icha Icha! The truth is, the main character…!" he heard Naruto shout. His eyes widened. He covered his ears. _No! Spoilers! Wait, what if I see his mouth movements with my Sharingan? _He closed his eyes tightly. A jingle was heard. He opened his eyes. His three students were all in front of him, each one holding a bell. They had this annoying smug looks on their faces. "Shinobi rule: Look underneath the underneath!" said Naruto. Kakashi scratched the back of his neck sheepishly before laughing.

After the training, Team 7 went to Ichiraku for ramen. Kakashi was unable to come along for he had some paperwork to do. On the way, they bumped into to familiar faces. "Shikamaru-kun! Temari-san! Guess who it is!" she pointed to Naruto and Katana. "Hey, it's Naruto!" said Shikamaru with a smile. He turned to Katana. He stared for a few minutes. She glared. He flinched. "Ka-Katana? Is that you?" he asked incredulously. She finally smiled. "And I thought you wouldn't remember me…" she sighed. Temari looked at her. "Ah, Katana-chan!" she said with a smile. Katana returned it. "Ohayo, Temari-chan! Are you on a date with Shikamaru?" she asked politely. Temari and Shikamaru blushed. "Wha-What? No, no… Of course not!" stammered Temari. "Sigh…troublesome. We're working together for the next Chuunin Exams."  
He explained, but the pink taint was still there. "By the way Naruto", the blond looked at him, "What are you planning to do?" Naruto looked confused. "What do you mean?" Shikamaru sighed. "The only genin in our batch is…you." He said carefully. It took some time before he understood it. "Th-then, Sakura-chan…!" Sakura nodded. He jerked his head to the other side. "Ka-Katana-chan….?" She stared at him. "I got promoted to be a chuunin after the mission…Rock Lee got promoted too." She said. "Neji, Kankuro and Temari here are jounins." Added Shikamaru.  
Naruto remembered something. "Gaara! What about Gaara?" he asked. When Katana heard the name, she suddenly became interested. "Ah, Temari-chan! How is he?" she asked excitedly. Maybe a little too excited. They all stared at her. She blushed. "What?" she asked innocently. Naruto smirked. "Ah, of course, how's Katana's boyfriend Temari-cha~? Itai!" he cringed as Katana's fist collided with the top of his head. "Baka…" she muttered and turned to Temari. She was smiling proudly. "He is Suna's…youngest Kazekage." She stated. Katana's eyes widened and she gasped. "Really? That's wonderful!" she exclaimed. Temari smiled at her. "It is, isn't it? Thank you. You were his inspiration, you know…" her eyes softened. Katana's eyes held an appreciative gaze. "It's no problem." Meanwhile, Naruto was sulking. "How come he gets to be a kazekage while I'm still not?" he mumbled. His friends only laughed.

As the trio ate in Ichiraku, Iruka-sensei dropped by and had a little chat with Naruto. Katana stared at the two as they talked. When they were together, Iruka always smiled. She noticed that. He was like a father to Naruto. She smiled. Grabbing the glass of water beside her, it suddenly shattered. The loud noise caught everyone's attention. "Katana-chan! Are you alright?" asked Sakura worriedly. "Katana-chan! What happened?" asked Naruto. Iruka was concerned too. The owner apologized for the fragile glass and immediately cleaned it up, but Katana ignored them all. Staring at her bloody and cut hand, she had a sudden flashback. She shot up from her seat, shocking Sakura and Naruto and left the store without a goodbye. They followed quickly. "Katana! Why the hell did you just leave us behind?" asked Naruto indignantly. Again, Katana ignored them. She just kept running…running towards the Hokage Tower. Naruto glanced at Sakura. She shrugged. "We're going there to meet Kakashi-sensei anyway, right? Perhaps, she didn't want to be late?" They chased Katana.

Crazy, unpleasant thoughts entered Katana's mind like a highway. She didn't want it to happen, but she had to be there if it did. Finding the door that had 'Hokage's Office' written in it, she opened it hastily. Kakashi was there inside. And so were Tsunade-sama and the rest of the Konoha council. "Ah, Katana-chan, you're 30 minutes early. And you've got a bleeding hand! What happened?" Kakashi rushed to her side. "I'm fine, Tou-san." She replied but she didn't look fine. She was a bleeding nervous wreck. "Tsunade-sama!" she hastily said. Tsunade looked at her. "Is something wrong?" asked the Hokage. "Is there any urgent news from Suna?" she asked. Tsunade shook her head. "No, there hasn't been any. Why?" For a moment, Katana calmed down a bit. But then the door suddenly opened. A kunoichi, Naruto and Sakura were at the doorway. "Tsunade-sama! Urgent news from the Sand! Kazekage-sama was abducted by two members of Akatsuki!" the kunoichi exclaimed. All of them were shocked. Katana dreaded this. Blood was drained from her face. Her knees shook. "Team Kakashi!" ordered Tsunade. "You are to go to Suna and find out what happened. Relay the situation to Konoha and after that, follow Suna's orders!" They nodded obediently and even Temari went with them.

Naruto was ahead of them. Far too ahead of them. "Naruto-kun!" Sakura shouted. But he still didn't stop. "You're going too fast, Naruto!" Now it was Kakashi's voice. "Naruto!" a hand pulled him to a stop. He glared back and her eyes suddenly widened. "Katana-chan!" he said, surprised. She had a death glare similar to Gaara's. "Why won't you listen?" she hissed lowly. He got angry. "You don't understand!" he yelled. "It was always him! He and I are very similar! He was always alo—" A hand clamped down on his mouth. Katana's other fist shook. "Y-you think I don't know that?" she roared. "I care for him just like you do, but if you're going to take it YOUR way, we will not reach him! .Understand?" she screamed. She was worried too. And now, she was pissed off at him. His eyes lowered. Katana released her hand. "Sorry, Katana-chan." He apologized. She shook her head and sighed. It had been 5 days since she had a proper sleep. The weariness and worry must be getting in her nerves. "Don't worry about it." They reached Suna's gates in no time. With Temari by their side, they easily entered. "Temari-san! Kazekage-sama was abducted. Kankuro-san tried to bring him back, but he was poisoned as well." Temari's eyes widened in distress. "What? Kankuro too?" she gasped. The sand shinobi nodded. "The poison is strong. We have no known antidote for it!" he added. "Kuso!" Temari cursed before dashing inside the Kazekage Tower.

"Temari-san! I'll examine him!" offered Sakura. Temari let out a deep breath before nodding and leading them inside. They reached the room where Kankuro was confined. Sakura and Temari hurriedly went towards Kankuro. An elderly woman, about 70-years old, focused her eyes on Kakashi. "The White Fang of Konoha…!" Katana heard her say. She lunged for him. Katana immediately went for Kakashi's aid and blocked all the woman's attacks. The obaa-san landed on the opposite side. Katana's eyes narrowed. "Why did you attack Kakashi-sensei?" she asked. "I remember… the White Fang…my son's enemy… I will get revenge for him today…!" she said. Kakashi raised his hands up in defense. "Ah! No! I'm not…!" But the old woman would have none of it. Another old man prevented her. "Sister, look closely." Said the oji-san. "Huh?" she looked confused at first, but then she erupted into fits of laughter. "I was just acting dumb!" she said.

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. Katana let out one of frustration. _How can she joke on a time like this? _She thought miserably. Sakura immediately went to work. After a few tense moments, she successfully took out all the poison in his body. Temari let herself slide down on against the wall. "Whew…" she breathed out. Next, Sakura ordered some ingredients needed for the antidote that will cure Kankuro completely. Katana was a bit relieved. At least one of their problems had been solved. But the pain and anger was eating Katana's remaining hope. _Gaara…where are you now? _She asked to herself.

"You…should follow Gaara's scent." Kankuro sat up shakily. Temari went by his side. "Kankuro, are you okay?" she asked her brother. "Yeah. I'm feeling a bit better now." He answered. He stared at Naruto. Naruto greeted him. Then his gaze fell on the distressed Katana. "Hatake…Katana?" asked Kankuro weakly. She snapped out of her thoughts and smiled sadly at him. He nodded in acknowledgement.

The two elders were named to be Chiyo and Ebizou. Apparently, Chiyo-baa-sama was the grandmother of Sasori, one of the two who abducted Gaara. After Sakura made Kankuro drink the finished antidote, she told him to take it easy. He was still trembling. "Let's hurry!" said Naruto. They fixed all the things they needed. Kankuro glanced at him. "Uzumaki Naruto…please save my brother." he said and the blond boy was quick to answer. "Leave it to me!" Naruto smiled confidently. Then the puppeteer turned to Katana.  
"Hatake Katana…" She regarded him. "Yeah?" she went nearer. Kankuro gave her a smile. "Gaara had always talked about you…You were his first precious person…You taught him how to love and we are very grateful of you." Katana snorted. "I taught him how to love…but it seems that it was that love that brought him in this situation." She spat, angry at herself. Kankuro stared at her. "Gaara needs you…" he whispered. "And not just today or tomorrow… he needs you to be there for him forever." A small contented grin graced Katana's face. "And forever, I'll be there." She finished for him. He smiled. "Thank you."

They went outside. "I'm coming too!" said Temari, but Chiyo interrupted her. "Temari, stay here and take charge of Suna's borders. I am more than enough to represent the shinobi of Suna." She said and jumped down from that immensely high wall to the ground. Naruto, Sakura and Katana panicked. "She jumped!" shrieked Naruto. Kakashi only sweat dropped. The four of them and Chiyo-baa-sama started the search. In the middle of their mission they were stopped by Uchiha Itachi.  
He came out of nowhere. His Sharingan was activated. When Katana looked closely, Itachi resembled Sasuke. That raven hair and calm expression. "Everyone! Avoid his eyes!" Kakashi ordered. They obeyed without question. "How do we beat him then?" asked Sakura. "Look at his feet and predict his movements." Suggested Kakashi. "There are many ways to fight a Sharingan user." Said Chiyo-baa-sama. "If it's one on one, run. If it's two on one, take the rear." Katana understood quickly. "Naruto…" said Kakashi as he raised his hitae-ate. "Back me up." The two of them took care of Itachi. "Sakura, Katana, Chiyo-baa-sama, please go ahead." The three kunoichi sped off.

When Kakashi and Naruto manage to beat Itachi for now, they caught up with the women. Team Gai, their supposed-to-be back-up was there as well. In front was a massive opening block by an equally big boulder. A seal was placed on its opening. When they successfully removed all seals in the surrounding, Sakura punched the boulder open. It cracked into smaller rocks. Inside the cave-like place, it was damp and musky. Two figures were seen. Sword at hand, Katana took slow cautious steps nearer them. The was curved, wooden-like man, which could only be Sasori. His blond companion was sitting on something… or rather, someone. Katana's eyes widened. Red hair, sea foam orbs closed inside black rings, and that distinguishing emotionless expression. Except now, his expression was…_Dead…_Katana felt a rush of chakra enter her. Grey eyes turned into a swirling vortex of black and gold. Naruto's features turned more fox-like.  
"You bastards!" he screamed angrily. "So that one's the jinchuuriki…" muttered the blonde and smirked. How Katana wanted to wipe that smug look of his face and turn it into bloody horror. He turned to her and raised an eyebrow before grinning. "You… you couldn't be the Raikage's daughter, could you?" he asked. "What have you done to him…?" hissed Katana in a dangerously calm manner. She had never been this angry before. He laughed sadistically. "You mean your stone-faced boyfriend over here?" He sent two taps on Gaara's cheek. Katana temper flared up even more. "Oh, you'll be thanking us." Mocked the guy. "We extracted the monster inside him. But of course…" he sighed and shrugged, "we had no idea that he wouldn't survive the process. Sorry baby." Said he. Katana felt hot tears sting her glaring eyes. "You want a monster?" she asked lowly. Canines appeared on her rows of teeth. Markings of gold formed at the sides of her face and arms. "I'll show you one!" she roared before charging.

**End Chapter**


	13. Chapter 13 Enraged Love

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 13: Enraged Love

Katana, whose aura turned nightmare black, charged towards the two Akatsuki members. Her heart beat thundered against the confines of her chest. A force pulled her back sharply. "Katana!" said a familiar, commanding voice. "Calm down!" She felt numb. She shuddered violently, the tremendous amount of chakra made her body rack. She looked to her left.

It seemed that even Naruto was prevented from lunging at them. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to control that power churning inside her. The blonde smirked once again. He brought his hand in front and summoned something. It looked like a giant bird made of white clay. "I'll take care of this, Sasori-danna." He said. Sasori looked at him. "Don't push it, Deidara…" he warned in that menacing deep voice of his. "The rule was one jinchuuriki per member." Deidara hopped on the bird. "No, un." He snorted. "Let me. My art needs to be done at the best point. Because my art…is a Bang." He took off with Gaara's body. But before he could go out of the cave, Katana latched on. "KATANA!" Kakashi shouted as he watched his daughter fly away with it. Naruto chased after him. Kakashi's eyes widened. He ran after Naruto and left Sakura and Chiyo to fight Sasori.

Katana glared at the person in front of her. She twirled her sword in her hand and gripped hard. "So you're Deidara…" she stated. His hand disappeared inside a bag by his hip. "Yeah…un." He took out his hand. The center of it was moving. _Is that a … mouth? _Something white and small popped out of the 'mouth' and was thrown in her direction. Eyes widening in shock and uncertainty, she rolled out of the way and nearly got hit. The molded clay exploded. She glanced at Deidara. He was full of confidence. _Just you wait…_ she thought as she held her sword in her mouth and did a hand seal. Blacker chakra formed armor around her body. She rushed to him with such speed that he didn't see it coming. Jumping up in the air, she yelled, "Guillotine Drop!"

_**Flashback:**_

_Katana twiddled her thumbs together in curiosity. Watching her father train, she saw their similarities in combat. He was aggressive__, focused in every move and his body coordinates well. Sometimes… well, all the time, he gets carried away. Katana saw him glance at her way. He smiled and she smiled back. Motioning for her to come near, she stood up from her seat and ran to him._

"_Hai, Tou-san?" she asked. He sent a hand down her head and chuckled. She pouted. "Tou-san!" she whined out. Ever since she started living there, he treated her like a baby. He laughed again. "Okay, okay, sorry." He handed her white bandage cloth. She stared at it. "What's this for?"_

_He put it in her hands. "Bandage your foot and hands. I'm going to teach you a new technique." Katana's eyes widened in excitement._

_**End Flashback**_

Her foot was sent down on Deidara. "Woah!" he yelped before moving out of the way. The impact was so great that the clay bird's back that they rode spilt in half. Now that their distance was decreased, Katana could attack properly. She punched, kicked, slashed but Deidara seemed to dodge them all. Grunting in anger, she slammed her palm on the surface of the bird. "Kuroi Kaki!" Black flames spread fast on its surface. The fire caught on Deidara's cloak and it was set on fire as well. "Shit, un." He cursed. Throwing spider bombs at Katana to distract her, he tried putting the flame out.

When his hand came in contact with it, chakra was swiftly drained out of his arm. He flinched. _She's strong… _he mused, _and if I don't do anything now, I'm dead, un. _Katana panted heavily. The curse's power was consuming her stamina. If she didn't end this soon, she'll lose her self-control. Deidara, whose one arm was missing and the other one useless, smirked. Katana stared at him. _What is he planning…? _She thought. "You're a good one. But…" he sighed dramatically, "I have some things to do. Sayonara…" he winked and jumped off the bird, leaving an incredulous Katana and Gaara's body there. Katana looked down. He landed on a treetop. Squinting, she saw him do a hand seal. Eyes widening, she made a mad dash for Gaara, snatched him up and dove. "KATSU!" Deidara's voice echoes throughout the whole forest and was soon followed by a loud 'BANG!' as the clay bird exploded. Bits of the explosive were stuck on her clothes, thus injuring her. She winced. The curse mark faded and her vision turned blurry. All she could do was hug Gaara's cold body tightly as they fell.

The cold lonely breeze howled. Katana's eyes fluttered open. The sky was blue and clear, but dark clouds covered up parts of it. "You're awake." Said someone. She looked to her side. Hyuuga Neji crouched down and helped her sit up. "Thank you." She said. Scanning the grassy field, her eyes spotted Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura and Chiyo-baa-sama huddled together, looking down at someone. A pang of pain hit her in the chest. "Gaara…" she breathed out, before standing on her shaky two feet and stumbling over to them. She clamped a hand down Kakashi's shoulder for support when he suddenly turned around, startled. He accidentally pushed her forward and she fell on her knees in front of Gaara. All her remaining hope shattered into pieces like fragile glass. His rich, crimson hair swayed with the wind. His expression was soft and calm, but not at all happy. His handsome face was pale and cold. Some emotions that were not meant to be shown were set free. Pain stricken tears fell on the ground, as Katana fisted clumps of grass. Naruto was on her right, wailing and screaming. But unlike him, Katana remained silent despite the sorrow she felt. Moving closer to Gaara, she raised his head and set in down on her lap. Her hand caressed his smooth face and his hair. More tears flowed down her eyes. She closed them and hugged Gaara's limp frame against her chest. Her body racked slightly.

"DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW HE FEELS?" Naruto roared at Chiyo-baa-sama. "…Why…" Katana began. Naruto's head snapped up at her direction. All eyes turned to her. "Why was it always him…?" she sobbed. Chiyo's gaze went down in guilt. "H-he was t-the one who n-needed love… y-yet look at him now…" She gritted her teeth. Her head jerked upwards, and an expression of despair and rage was plastered on her face. "WHY?" she screamed, a river of salty tears on her cheeks. "Why did you leave him to fight alone?" Her hands shook as she held him.

Chiyo did not answer, instead walked and kneeled down in front of her. She put her hands down on his chest. Chakra radiated out of her hands. "Chiyo-sama!" protested Sakura, but the old woman didn't listen. "What are you doing now?" Naruto asked indignantly. Katana knew that jutsu… It was somewhat close to what she read. Something about a revival jutsu. Her eyes softened and a flicker of new hope sprung up inside her. _Chiyo-baa-sama is going to bring Gaara back…_ "What the hell are you doing now?" shrieked Naruto, but Katana answered him. "She's going to bring him back!" she told him. Naruto's eyes widened. "Could she really…do that?" he asked. Katana glanced down at Chiyo. She was having a hard time performing the jutsu. _She's out of chakra… but perhaps…I could be of help._ Katana grabbed a kunai from her holster and cut her hand. Blood oozed out from the wound. She brought her bloody hand down Chiyo-sama's. The chakra rate rapidly increased. Chiyo looked at her in disbelief. "How..?"

Katana heaved a deep breath. "A curse mark is implanted on my body and this tremendous amount of chakra is mixed with my blood." Explained Katana as sweat trickled down her face. She was having a hard time as well. Another hand was brought down on theirs. "Use my chakra." Offered Naruto. Katana smiled at him gratefully and he smiled back. Chiyo watched in amazement as the two teenagers gave all they can possibly give just for the sake of Gaara's life. She spoke.

"In this world of shinobi, made of foolish old people…I'm glad there are ninjas like the two of you here." They stared at her and listened. "My past…everything I did seemed wrong. Now, at least…In my final moment, I was able to set things right." She smiled feebly. "Suna and Konoha. From now on, the future will run differently." She glanced at Naruto. "Boy, you have this unusual gift Kakashi told me. It will be a great help when you become Hokage. And you, Sakura…" she muttered. "Next time…don't waste your life for an old woman… You are a lot like me. A woman with such gallant spirit that matches the strength of any man is a rarity indeed." She turned to Naruto again. "Uzumaki Naruto, I have a request for you. Since you are the only one who understands Gaara's suffering…help him for me." Finally, she stared at Katana. "Yotsuki…" Katana looked up at her. "Hai?" she asked politely. Chiyo smiled kindly. "I never thought I would meet a person from the Yotsuki clan in my life." Katana smiled at her. "You are a special girl, Katana." Said Chiyo. "You're the first one to see Gaara for who he really is… a boy who needed love. And you gave that to him. Please, I ask you, continue loving him. He loves you too." Katana nodded. "I will." She answered. Chiyo closed her eyes. Katana and Naruto shared a look before doing the same.

_Gaara…Gaara! _

Katana saw something. She didn't know if she was dreaming, but she was pretty sure on what she saw. There was a younger version of Gaara, a much younger version, about the age of 5. He sat on the desert sand, crying and all alone. She ran for him. "Gaara!" she called out. "Gaara!" this time, it was a younger version of Naruto who shouted. He was running alongside of her. Young Naruto grinned at her. "Let's see who reaches him first!" he challenged. Katana nodded and sprinted faster. A hand was brought down on the crying child's shoulder. He looked up, his green orbs meeting grey ones. And suddenly, Katana opened her eyes. There sat Gaara, breathing and very much alive. A sudden rush of happiness and unexplainable excitement hit her. She wanted to shout, to cry and to laugh all at the same time. "Gaara…" breathed out Naruto with a soft smile.

Katana clamped a hand on her mouth. "Ga-Gaara…" Gaara stared at Naruto before looking around. His eyes widened by the minute in disbelief. "You… all of you…" They were all there. Temari, Kankuro, admiring fan girls, children, and sand shinobi. They were laughing and cheering for him. For him. Gaara felt incredibly happy. But he was also incredibly tired and exhausted. "This is…" he began. Naruto continued. "Everyone came rushing… just to save you." Katana sensed that Gaara still hadn't noticed her. A pang of sadness hit her momentarily, but then she smiled and got up on her shaky feet. "Katana." That velvety voice sent chills down her spine and made her blush. She looked down at Gaara and smiled. "Glad to have you back, Kazekage-sama." She extended a helping hand. Gaara took it, but instead of pushing himself up, he pulled her down. She landed on him, and was closed in a tight hug. Katana eyes widened before shutting and hugging Gaara back fiercely. Tears prickled her face once more. "You're okay…" she whispered happily. She felt him nod against her. "I am…" he replied. She let go and sat beside him.

"You're a little brother I always have to worry about, huh?" joked Kankuro, now well and active. "Hey, don't act so cocky. He's still the Kazekage." Reprimanded Temari. She kneeled down to his level. "How are you feeling?" she asked, out of concern. He didn't answer but he did try to stand up by himself. "Guh…" he winced as he felt a jabbing pain. "Your body's not in a good condition yet. Don't be hasty." Said Temari. Katana stood up and helped him. He stood up shakily like a toddler and stumbled on Katana a bit. Katana chuckled. "Easy…" she told him gently in that soothing voice of hers. Sounds of protest from the crowd were heard. They were coming from his admirers.

"Don't touch him!"

"Hey, hands off Gaara-sama!"

"Gaara-sama, I'll be the one to save you!"

"Gaara-sama, ignore her! Let me help you instead!"

A vein popped out of her forehead. How dare they say that when they once hated him! Her fists shook. She glared at them. They flinched and took a step back. But one bold, blond girl, about her age, shouted and threw rocks. "You suck!" The mob of girls jeered with her. Katana's temper flared. After fighting with Deidara, now she had to handle these crazy women too? She was about shout back when she felt pain. Pain all over her body. She winced and coughed out blood, shocking the people surrounding her. The curse mark was not easy to bear and it took a lot of energy for her body to support it. She fell on the ground with a 'thud' and blacked out.

The familiar scent of the hospital was the first thing she noticed when waking up. Eyes stared at sand cobblestone walls. She sat up and felt her forehead. A faint fever was running on her body. "I fainted…" she said, remembering what happened. Three knocks on the door startled her. "Come in, Kakashi-sen…" the door opened wide and she realized it wasn't Kakashi. "G-Gaara!" she gasped in surprise. He was standing there in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He wore a loose black shirt and black pants.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. She stared at him. Over the past few years, his features have matured quite a lot. Weariness was also visible in his face. Of course, just being brought back from the dead, he must have felt awful. "Katana." She heard her name being called and snapped out of her trance. Gaara was no longer in the door but was now sitting in the chair beside her bed. "You haven't been answering me. Is something wrong?" he asked again. She chuckled in embarrassment. "No, no. I'm fine." She reassured. Uncomfortable silence was brought down upon them. Surprisingly, it was Gaara who broke it. "It's…nice to see you again…once more." He stated cautiously. Katana smiled a little. "You too." She replied, gaining confidence. Gaara studied her face. "…Why did you tie you hair?" asked Gaara. She blinked. "Oh, you noticed. Um, well, my father made me do it." She explained. Gaara reached out for her back. When his hand brushed against her, she tensed a bit. There was a soft tug on her scalp and she felt her hair set loose.

Gaara handed her the ribbon that used to restrict her tresses in a braid. Strands of dark brown hair fell on her face. Gaara tucked them in her ear. "You look better with your hair loose." He said. She blushed.

"Thanks. You look better with thicker hair too." She complemented. Gaara nodded in thanks. As Katana's gaze traveled downward, she noticed that Gaara rested his hand on the bed. Smiling, she put her bandaged hand above his and squeezed gently. Gaara felt his cheeks grow warm. Memories came rushing back to him. He almost smiled. Almost. But something prevented him do to so. "You…" he said, slowly standing up, and retracting his hand. "You went after that person Deidara." Katana looked away. She knew he was going to be upset. She wasn't in the mood to argue with him right now. "Why did you do that?" he asked, his tone turning hard. She sighed. "I was overwhelmed and panicking, so I went after you. But that isn't importa—"

"It is." Pressed Gaara further, his voice contained anger. Katana desperately tried to avoid the topic but he would not have any of her excuses. He glared at her. "Why did you do that?" She refused to look at him. Her own anger was boiling inside the pit of her stomach. Gaara glared harder. "Katana." He called out in his menacing voice. Her head snapped up and her eyes burned wildly in irritation. Gaara didn't budge. He glared again. She glared back. Apparently, she wasn't scared of that look. Gaara asked the same question again. "Why did you do—" He didn't get a chance to finish the question for Katana's outburst took him aback. "ARGHHH! Don't you already know, you robot?" she shrieked in anger. He blinked. _Robot…? _He asked himself. Katana continued her rant. "I traveled from Kumo to Konoha without 5 days of proper sleep, proper meals and proper rest." She emphasized the 5 with her fingers. "We were summoned by Hokage-sama, and were told that YOU were kidnapped!" She waved her arms frantically. "I saw you dead, I fought that crazy, homicidal bomber just to get to you, and I got a bloody hand!"

She raised the said injured body part. "Now you're asking me why I SAVED YOU and even have the guts to get mad at me?" she screamed. Heavily panting from the lack of oxygen, she felt something wet sting her eyes. _I won't cry! Not this time again!_ She thought defiantly. She sniffed and crossed her arms across her chest. Gaara stared at the angry girl. He was stunned. He never would have thought that the tough and calm Katana would explode like a loudspeaker. Well, girls had constant mood swings, as Kankuro would put it. She looked pretty upset. He sighed and scolded himself inwardly. Maybe he pushed her too far. He approached her, wanting to calm her down, when he suddenly felt a wave of pain and nausea hit him.

He winced and shuddered. It caught Katana's attention quickly. "Gaara?" she inquired. He didn't answer; instead he collapsed on top of her on the bed, his body going limp. Katana yelped and panicked. "Gaara! Gaara, what happened?" She rolled him on his back and got off the bed. She adjusted him on the mattress so that he was lying there comfortably.

She felt his forehead and quickly pulled her hand back. "He's running a high fever…" she muttered to herself. She wasn't a professional medic, but she knew how to take care of sick people. She went to work.

After Gaara's fever went down, Katana sat beside him and wiped the sweat of her forehead. She stared at Gaara. For the first time of his life, he was sleeping peacefully. She smiled.

Temari carried a tray of food and opened the door slightly to Katana's room. A sweet scene surprised her. Gaara was sleeping on the bed while Katana sat beside him, asleep as well. What made her smile the most was their hands holding each other's tightly. She closed the door with a soft 'click' and proceeded to the office, an idea at mind.

**End Chapter**


	14. Chapter 14 Another Mission, Another Man

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 14: Another Mission, Another Man

The desert's scorching heat started as tiny slivers of the sun peaked from behind the dunes. Team Kakashi successfully completed the mission and the sand siblings were biding them goodbye.

"See ya…" said Kankuro coolly. "Yeah!" replied Naruto. He and Gaara stared at each other. "I guess you shake hands when parting ways, but I'm not really good at that kind of…" he ranted on, but sand raised his hand and allowed him to clamp Gaara's. They shook hands and Naruto laughed. He stepped back and allowed Katana to say her goodbye. Facing Temari, Katana received a sisterly hug. She bumped fists with Kankuro. Now, turning to Gaara, a faint blush appeared. Gaara's pale face reddened a bit as well. With everyone watching them, they didn't know how to say goodbye to each other. _Another handshake?_ Thought Gaara.

_A pat on the back?_ Asked Katana to herself.

…_A hug?_ They both thought.

Naruto was getting impatient with them both being so hesitant. He ran behind Katana and pushed her towards Gaara. "Yatta!" he cheered. Katana collapsed on Gaara and both fell on the ground. Katana's lips descended on his gently. Both stared at each other, wide-eyed. Kakashi looked like he was about to faint. The girls went 'aww'. Katana pulled away, red as a tomato. "S…Sayonara…" breathed out Gaara, still in shock with what happened. Katana chuckled in an embarrassed way and got off him. Once they were both standing, she bowed at the three. "Sayonara." She said and turned back, eyes ablaze. "Na…ru…TOOO!" she hissed out. Naruto gulped before sprinting away from the pissed-off sword wielder.

They reached Konoha after 3 days and were able to relax a bit. After a week, Tsunade summoned them once again to discuss a sensitive topic.

"It might be a trap." Said Tsunade. Sakura and Katana listened intently. "With Orochimaru as bait, the Akatsuki might be waiting for you." Sakura spoke first. "If it is a trap, then we'll just fight." She offered. Tsunade interrupted her. "You should know that Kakashi is still resting in the hospital and he will stay there for another week."

"Tsunade-sama!" said Shizune. "Even if you send Sakura or Katana, leave Naruto-kun out." All of them looked at her. "Shizune, like you, Sakura is one of the few shinobi that I trust. So I will send them, Team Kakashi on the mission." She explained. "Then, wouldn't it be okay if my team went?" Shizune asked her master. Tsunade shook her head. "No, it won't be the same." She looked at Shizune. "All three of them, Katana, Sakura and Naruto… they are desperately trying to bring Sasuke back." Sakura and Katana's gazes lowered. "Their determination is what would make the mission a success." Shizune nodded. "Understood. But about Naruto-kun…" she began. "Now that you heard all of it, what's your decision Naruto?" asked Tsunade, looking above. The girls followed Tsunade's eyes.  
There stood Naruto on the roof, looking as determined as ever. "I'll go looking for members right away!" he answered. He back flipped and jumped off the railings. Tsunade smiled humorously. "Always rushing…I haven't even finished talking yet…" she murmured. She turned to them again. "I will find substitutes for Kakashi and Sasuke." She told Katana and Sakura. They saluted. "Hai, Tsunade-sama!" Then they were dismissed.

Katana parted ways with Sakura to find Naruto. "That doofus got overexcited again." She muttered. She found him on a street, talking to a green hooded guy. "Hey, Naruto!" she called and jumped beside him. "Who are you talking to?" She stared at the guy, who even wore shades to hide his eyes. Naruto explained. "I was walking and then this guy greeted me, and even called me Naruto. But I don't remember who he is!" he exclaimed. Katana's eyes widened. "That's Shino, baka!" she said and thumped him the head. Shino nodded. "Thank you for the acknowledgement, Katana-san." The Aburame said. Naruto's eyes widened. "S-Shino? Well, how would you expect a comrade to know you if you keep hiding your face like that?" he excused.

Katana sighed. "Shino! You're early!" someone shouted from behind. They whirled around. A boy riding a huge white dog looked at them.

"Kiba?" asked Naruto. "Ah, Naruto!" said Kiba with a smile. He turned to Katana. "Well, well, who's the pretty lady over here?" he asked with a smirk. Katana laughed. "Kiba, it's me." She said. "It's me, Katana." Kiba paled. "Oh shit." He raised his hands in front. "Ka-Katana-chan, I'm really, really, really sorry, okay?" he apologized. She just laughed again and waved the earlier comment off.

"That dog…" said Naruto. "That couldn't be…" continued Katana, pointing at the big animal. "What'cha mean? That's Akamaru, obviously." Said Kiba. Katana gaped. "That's Akamaru?"

"He's gotten big!" added Naruto. Kiba looked confused. "Really? I haven't noticed at all." He reasoned. Katana sweat dropped. "But Kiba, he used to be on your head…" she told him. A gasp was heard. Naruto looked back. Someone was hiding on the corner. He dashed there. "Ah, Hinata-chan! What are hiding here for?" Katana heard him say. Then suddenly, a girl's body fell on Naruto. "Hinata-chan! Why did you faint? Did I do something wrong?" the panicked Naruto asked nervously, supporting her body. Kiba scratched his head. "Why d'you always faint when you see Naruto?" he asked aloud, though he knew she couldn't answer him right now. Shino grumbled. "You recognized Hinata right away as well…Naruto." Katana simply face palmed.

Continuing on their way, Naruto and Katana met Shikamaru and Chouji. They were happily chatting when something attacked them. It was a beast made of ink. They were easily defeated but where they came from was what they wanted to be answered. The Nara genius quickly found the person behind this. The guy was very pale, and his black shirt wasn't long enough to cover his stomach. He had onyx black eyes and a classic haircut. He had a paint brush on his hand. They didn't know him, but he wore a Konoha headband. Using the brush he had, he drew something on a scroll and flicked it. Those monsters jumped out of the paper. "Run, Naruto!" Katana ordered immediately. With Naruto being a jinchuuriki, Katana's first instinct was to protect the said blonde. Naruto wasted no time and ran ahead. The boy's drawings chased him. Shikamaru took care of those using his shadow bind.

Naruto made a grab for the pale boy. Kunai and brush clashed together. "So, do you even have something down there to prove your manliness?" asked the boy rudely.

Katana jumped on the roof where the two guys were. She placed the dangerously sharp blade on his neck. "Who are you?" she asked with her voice barely above a whisper. He had this annoying, fake smile on his face. "I'm from the Root Division ANBU." He answered. Katana gritted her teeth. "That wasn't what I asked!" she shouted and the clash broke. Naruto and she jumped away. "We'll meet again, Naruto-kun." Said the boy before disappearing. _Strange guy…_ Katana thought before jumping down.

After a few moments of walking, they finally met Sakura, along with their new team leader named Yamato and the previous pale boy who fought them. Katana drew her sword at the sight of him. "Whoa, whoa, easy there." Yamato stated. "Um, from now on, I'll take Kakashi-senpai's place while he's resting." Katana lowered the weapon. Their squad leader seemed nice enough. "Gomen." She bowed slightly. The pale boy bowed to Naruto and Katana. "I'm sorry for my earlier actions. I wanted to test your strength." Katana shook it off and Naruto took the apology. The boy faked a smile again. "I didn't know how to handle guy without balls like you."

Naruto lunged for his neck, if not for Katana and Sakura preventing him. "Naruto, calm down!" scolded Sakura. Then she turned to the boy. "That wasn't a nice thing to say." She frowned.

He smiled sickly at her. "I really like moody crones like you." He said and Sakura went on a rampage. It was a good thing Yamato held her still in place. Katana gritted her teeth in frustration. "I don't know what your problem is, but quit insulting people you barely know." She told him and braced herself for anything hurtful he might say. He blinked at her. "I thought tomboys like you don't care about insults." A vein popped out of her forehead and as much as she wanted to beat the living daylights out of him, she restricted herself. Not only to lessen the burden of their captain but also because they were wasting the time they're supposed to use to search for Sasuke.

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Call me any name as you wish, but please leave my comrades alone." Needless to say, Yamato was stunned with her attitude. He smiled. "You're the girl brought up by Kakashi-senpai correct?" he asked. Katana was taken aback a bit. She nodded. "It's nice to know he rubbed off his good attributes on you." She smiled. "Arigatou." He turned to the others with a disappointed look. "Please try to get used to each other's company. Introduce yourselves."

"Uzumaki Naruto." Grumbled the blond.

"Haruno Sakura." Said the girl, while glaring at the pale guy.

"My name is Sai." Said he.

"Yotsuki Katana." She introduced.

After they all knew each other, Captain Yamato explained the plan. "We can gain valuable information that can formulate a plan on how to assassinate Orochimaru and bring Sasuke back. So stay focused!" he reminded them. "We will assemble in the gates in 1 hour." They nodded.

The original members of Team Kakashi walked alongside of each other. "I can't stand that asshole Sai." Naruto complained like a little boy. "Why did he have to take Sasuke's place?" Sakura smiled. "Don't you think he's a bit like Sasuke? The face, the attitude…" Katana smiled and silently agreed with Sakura. Naruto remained stubborn. "Sasuke's way cooler than him!" Sakura giggled. "Yeah. He's better than Sai."

Team Yamato left the village, with a little problem. Everyone hated Sai. On their way, Naruto kept on glaring at him. Sai noticed this. "Please stop staring at me. Don't make me hit you." Katana turned to the two boys. "Everything you say pisses me off!" yelled Naruto, shaking a fist at him. "I don't have anything against you. I just act that way." Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Sai. "Aha! So you do have malice! And why the hell are you even here? You just upset people!" Katana rubbed her temple. She was getting a headache from all the noise. Yamato reprimanded them. "I thought Kakashi-san already taught you cooperation? What is with you?" demanded Yamato.

Naruto pointed at Sai again. "Because HE is NOT a part of Team Kakashi!" he ground out angrily. "The real member of this team was Sasuke!" Katana felt pity for Naruto. They all missed him. But Sasuke's runaway affected Naruto and Sakura the most. "I'll never consider him as a team member!" Naruto ended his complaint with a huff. Sai smiled at him. "It's good to know you think of me that way." Naruto and Sakura were shocked. Katana expected something bad to come out of his mouth and prayed to Kami that he would keep it to himself. If the three of them heard it, there's no guarantee Sai would live for another day.

"I wouldn't want to be compared to that weakling clone Orochimaru made. He only cared for power and left Konoha alone in search of Orochimaru." Something snapped inside Katana. "You bastard…" growled Naruto. Both he and Sakura wanted to attack the guy, but Katana held a firm hand. She had a smile on her face. "We do lack teamwork. And we do need to work on it more." She took a step towards Sai. "Sai, we judged you without even knowing you well. Naruto…he's just upset about Sasuke. Please forgive us." Sakura and Naruto looked betrayed.

Yamato sighed. "At least one of them was responsible." He mumbled under his breath. "Think nothing of it." Said Sai. Katana smiled again. "That's good." She did a quick flick of her wrist. Something sparked for a second and Sai was hurled to the other side. Bruises started to form on his body. Yamato was shocked. So were Katana's two friends. "That… you don't have to forgive…" hissed Katana. "I warned you…to leave my friends out. Say something bad again…." She glared coldly before turning her back. "Consider yourself dead." Sai chuckled and wiped the blood of his cheek. "That fake smile… you fooled me. I'll remember that next time. Smiles…whether fake or not, are the best way to get out of trouble."

"Shichuu-tou no jutsu!" said Yamato. A wooden prison sprung up from the ground so suddenly. "If you guys won't stop arguing, I'll have to throw you inside the cage." Sighed the exasperated leader. Sai was emotionless, Naruto was scared, Sakura was amazed and for Katana, the threat didn't really work. It's not like she'll do it again. She just had a moment of anger back there, that's all. "Here's my proposition", said Yamato, "You can stay inside the cage for a day to work out your differences or… we can go to a hotel with hot springs. What's your pick?" Everyone was silent. Yamato continued. "I could be friendly and nice and all…" his face turned ghoulish. "But I have no problem ruling with fear either." They all looked at each other and came to an agreement.

Hot springs…

As Katana let herself succumb to the relaxing warmth of the pool, she mind wandered off, as usual. _I wonder… how is he?_ She thought, a certain redhead running on her mind. _I hope he's adjusting well… He became a great guy through the years pasted… _A small smile appeared in her face.

"Stop talking about penises!" a loud voice that could only be Naruto's was heard from the other side of the hot springs. Katana blushed furiously. _Dammit Naruto!_ She cursed mentally while the other girls laughed. Getting out of the hot spring she dried herself and wrapped a towel around her body. She got dressed and flung herself on the soft mattress.

She twisted and turned on the bed. Then she sat up and hugged her knees against her body. _Sasuke…_ _how are you now…? Do you even still…remember us?_

The next day…

"IF YOU WANT A FIGHT, I'M GAME!" That loud noise could've woken up a hibernating octopus down below the depths of the sea. In this case, it woke up a hibernating, deadly sword mistress. Katana fell from her bed, shocked by that outburst and landed on her butt. She winced and sighed sleepily. "Who would shout at this wonderfully early hour?" she whined out. A bulb lighted inside her head. She grimaced. "Naruto…" She decided to let it go partly because she didn't want to get him hurt and partly because she was still drowsy. Getting up, she fixed herself and went outside.

Sai and Sakura were talking to each other. Naruto was shouting. Yamato was hiding behind a tree, observing how they get along. Katana sweat dropped. It was just like in the old days. They started to travel.

_**Flashback:**_

"_Shut your trap…dobe." Sasuke would sneer whenever Naruto ranted and complained about the lack of rest, lack of food, lack of this and lack of that._

_In return, Naruto would always scream and overreact. "AHH! What did you just say, TEME?" Young Katana released an exasperated sigh. "Would the two of you qui—" _

"_Naruto-baka! Let go of Sasuke!" Sakura, the loyal Sasuke-fan girl, punched Naruto on the face. Katana blinked twice at the scene before her. Her brain pounded hard on her skull. They were causing her a terrible headache. She wanted to go wild and bloody murder them. "Annoying nitwits…" she muttered under her breath. It was their first real B rank mission. Escorting an oji-san to Whale country became a fight-off- one-of-the-seven-swordsmen-of-the-mist mission. Kakashi-sensei was kind of sick too. Thus, she handled everything and made sure her teammates were cooperating well._

_Looking back at them, she could answer that question with a hard 'no'. It's not that she hated __them; it's just that they caused too much trouble and not even for one freakin' time could they get along! She covered her ears as Sakura shrieked. "Katana-chan~!" Naruto wailed. "Help me out, will you!" That did it. Katana's temper burst. "IF ANYONE OF YOU UTTER ANOTHER DAMN WORD, I'M GONNA BLOODY BEAT YOU UP, UNDERSTAND?" she couldn't help but yell. Rage got out of her system fast. She calmed down eventually, but she noticed that they were staring at her, as pale as ghosts. The threat even worked on Sasuke as well! _

_She chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head. "G-Gomen, gomen… I was panicking, I couldn't help myself." Sasuke's eye twitched, Sakura sighed in relief… Naruto… fainted in fear._

_**End Flashback**_

"Here's fine." Yamato stated and Katana snapped out from her thoughts. How long was she out? It was already night and they went a far way ahead. Yamato did a hand seal and a 2-story building shot up from the ground. "Let's camp here." He turned and smiled at them. They stared at him. "Um, I wouldn't call this 'camping' though…" laughed Sakura sheepishly. They rested there for the night, no clue on what would happen the next day…

**End Chapter**


	15. Chapter 15 Once again, like once before

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 15: Once again, like once before

_**Flashback:**_

"_Our objective is to capture the target. Under no circumstances must they be killed." Captain Yamato explained to them. "All we need to do are these 3 things that I will tell you. First:", he said, "I will restrain the target. Second: If restraining fails, then a battle ensues. You will all act as my back-up. I'll signal you in that case. And lastly, if we reach a situation such as that, we must fight via the buddy system." __He took a glance at each one. _

"_I'll decide on the buddies. First, Naruto and Sai. Second, Katana and Sakura." He said._

_Naruto interrupted him. "Yamato-taichou… Isn't it better if you have a partner? You're the one with the security risk." Pointed out Naruto. Yamato thought about it. "But then, one of you will be working alone." Said Yamato._

'_Well, it's better than working with that penis-crazed guy…' thought Naruto as he gladly volunteered himself. But Yamato shook his head._

"_It's too risky. Especially since you carry the Kyuubi." Naruto grumbled at this. "But whhhyyy?" he whined out childishly. With a little help of Yamato's 'scary face', he finally shut up. Sakura was about to volunteer next when, "Sakura, you are our only medic ninja. We can't afford to lose you in the battle." Her face fell._

"_Katana." Katana's head snapped up. "H-Hai!" she saluted. "You will be the one to work without a partner. Understand?" She paled. "Bu-but, w-what if I mess up?" she asked nervously. __"You won't." he reassured. "Kakashi-san never messed up before…" he turned to her. "So why would you?"_

_**End Flashback**_

Everything was going quite well on the plan. It turned out that Kabuto, Orochimaru's witty assistant, was the Akatsuki spy. There was a harsh blow of air. Suddenly, another person joined in. "You two seem to be talking about something interesting…" the Snake Sannin hissed out." You wouldn't mind if I join, right?"

"Orochimaru!" gasped Naruto silently beside Katana. Both girls became alarmed. His snake coiled tightly around Kabuto, but the medic escaped in time. "Thank you for that boy you sent me, Sasori." Said the smirking Orochimaru. He glanced at Kabuto. "Thanks to that boy's medical ninjutsu, I was able to use the same test subjects any number of times." The teenagers couldn't do anything but watch and wait for their captain's signal. Kabuto charged his hand as a blue chakra blade and sent Orochimaru a dirty look but lunged for the wrong person. He charged for the fake Sasori, cut the puppet open and revealed a very shocked Yamato. Kabuto smirked.

Katana's eyes narrowed as she watched their captain jump away from the S-rank criminals. "They knew it all along." She whispered to the others. "Oi, oi!" whispered Naruto, calling everyone's attention. "There's the signal!" Sure enough, Yamato signaled for them. They jumped out of their hiding spot. They landed in front of their team leader. "Ah, you again…" sighed Kabuto in sight of Naruto. Orochimaru let out a laugh. "Well, well, what do you know? It's the Kyuubi boy."

Naruto's eyes turned red and his irises became slits. Red chakra surrounded his body. Whiskers became more embossed. "Give Sasuke…back." He spat out. Kabuto only snorted. "He came to us on his own. I thought you got over that? You're hardly behaving your age."

"Shut up, four eyes!" sneered an angry Sakura. "You don't know a thing about us! I've had quite enough of your attitude!"

Orochimaru wore a teasing grin. "Why don't you force information about Sasuke-kun out of my mouth? That is…if you can." A kyuubi-fied Naruto sprung up from the ground and charged for the Sannin. Orochimaru hadn't dodged in time and Naruto's charka claw sent him flying 12 kilometers away from the bridge. Sakura stared at him wide-eyed. "That's one big problem…" muttered Katana under her breath as she saw Naruto's rage and power. "You sure have grown into a stronger jinchuuriki, Naruto-kun…" stated Orochimaru, now back on his feet and near the group once again. "And you…" he glanced at Yamato. "You should be thankful, guinea pig. If not for me experimenting on your DNA's like the 59 other failed tests subjects…you would've never gotten the First's strength." Yamato grimaced at the topic. Orochimaru looked at Naruto again.

"Anyway…I would like to see Naruto-kun fight _our_ Sasuke-kun. I wonder which had gotten strong—"

"He isn't _yours_." Hissed Naruto, gaining another tail. Katana gritted her jaw. _He needs to calm down. He's going to be hard to control later on!_ The Kyuubi's chakra rumbled inside Naruto's body. His eyes turned bloody red. "In my presence…" he warned, "don't ever talk of Sasuke as though he belongs to you!" A harsh wave of chakra in the air made Katana wince and brace herself. She slowly lowered her arms and saw something horrifying enough to give her nightmares. It was Naruto, only with long canines, red slits for eyes and an incredibly strong chakra shield.

"UUUUOOOOOHHHHH!" a blood curdling scream was heard.

Kabuto charged for him. Naruto quickly jerked his head back and faced his attacker. Something exploded and Kabuto was thrown to the far side. The bridge was separated into two. Sakura, who was the closest one in the explosion, was sent flying back as well. She hit her head on the ground. Knowing that the bridge was about to collapse, Yamato sent pillars to support it. But the part of the bridge where Sakura was still fell. "Sai! Help Sakura!" He ordered when Sai rode an animated eagle painting. But Sai ignored the order and let Sakura's body slip out from his ride. Katana's temper and panic flared. "BASTARD!" she screamed at Sai as she dove down to catch Sakura. Sturdy wood caught them both and raised them up to where Yamato was. She placed the unconscious girl down. "Yamato-taichou! I'll go after Naruto!" said Katana in a hurry and jumped away before the jounin could protest.

Katana jumped from branch to branch, heading straight towards that red light. She reached a clearing and found Naruto bleeding inside the chakra shield. He let out a howl of agony as he further transformed into the monster. Her eyes narrowed. "He's lost control." She mumbled. She dashed for Naruto, but immediately skidded to a halt and hid behind a tree when boulders were thrown in any direction. She peeked out. "Oh boy…" she said. It wasn't Naruto anymore that she saw. It was a humanized monster with four tails. Without any more hesitation, Katana gathered the maximum amount of chakra she can in her body and activated her curse seal. She did it with ease, unlike the last time, for she had regained her stamina and energy. The now black-and-gold eyed girl drew her sword and leapt out of her hiding spot. Thousands of snakes made their way towards Naruto. Katana dashed to his side, planning to back him up. But it seemed like he didn't need one. With a big swipe, a mass shockwave of chakra blew them away. Katana included. She planted her feet down on the ground hard to lessen the impact. Katana did everything to get near him, but it was impossible. It was clear that he didn't want her helping. Orochimaru didn't appreciate her company as well. While distracting Naruto, he sent some snakes to chase after her.

Clenching her teeth in frustration, she killed them all in one swift blow. Looking around, she spotted Orochimaru and Naruto with round red and white chakra particles gathering at his mouth. "What is that?" she exclaimed. A giant chakra ball formed as a whole. The orb compressed. Orochimaru started to back away as the ground shuddered and shook violently. Katana knew she needed to escape but her heart was too stubborn to do so. She brought down her sword into the soil and held it tightly to refrain from falling. The quakes stopped. She saw Naruto swallow the ball. The ground rumbled again, this time, stronger. The monster inflated and made gurgling noises. He opened his mouth and a flash was all it took Katana to think of this: Run. It exploded throughout the whole forest and Katana felt something engulf her fully before she closed her eyes.

Katana pushed the rock particles that buried her. She wheezed and gasped for air. Steadying her breath, she noticed the thick black and gold chakra shield surrounding her. _Where did this come from…? _She thought quizzically. _I've never had something like this before…_

She stood up and searched for Naruto. Just then, she heard a loud crash coming from the bridge. Eyes widening, she sprinted her way there. She was just in time to find a crying Sakura running towards the transformed Naruto. She panicked. "RUN, SAKURA!" she yelled, drawing her sword. Both she and Sakura were bashed away. Sakura's arm bled. With the shield destroyed, Katana earned a deep gash in her head. She gently touched it and flinched when it stung. She heard footsteps nearing. She frowned and rolled over so that she pointed the tip of her sword in front of Kabuto. She glared at him. "Don't you dare…" she threatened. He shook his head. "If we let you live, you have a chance to eliminate one of the Akatsuki again. And that's an advantage to our side as well." Stated Kabuto honestly. Katana nodded curtly in understanding, both shared a look of silent agreement. "But", said Kabuto, "since you were the ones who brought this here, you're the ones who need to solve this problem." He disappeared in a whish of air. Yamato took the chance and jumped in front of the two girls. He did a hand seal and wood pillars shot up from the ground, encircling Naruto. Something sucked out the red chakra, and no sooner, Naruto was back in his original look. Katana sighed in relief and she helped Sakura heal his wounds. Tears fell from Sakura's face. Katana looked up at her. "I can only watch like before…Passing out in the middle of the battle…How stupid." She forced a humorless laugh as she wiped the endless flow of tears.

"I can only do the dumbest things for Naruto…"

Katana shook her head. "You don't need to fight for Naruto to feel that you care for him and Sasuke. Just to know that you feel strongly for both of them is more than enough for him." She said and Sakura smiled weakly. "Thank you, Katana-chan." She smiled at her.

"Ehhh?" a confused voice rasped out. "Katana-chan? Sakura-chan…? What happened to me?" Naruto sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. He looked at the two girls again. Sakura was in the edge of tearing up. He shot up so suddenly and surprised the girls with his outburst.

"Why are you crying? Did that Sai hurt your feelings again?" He jerked his head in search of Sai. "I'll show him! Where is he? Where is he?" he screamed like a lunatic. Sakura sent a light punch in the stomach. "Baaakkkaa!" she whined out. Katana laughed weakly at the two. "It's good to have you back, Naruto." She stated with a small smile. Naruto stared at her. He pointed at her wound. "What happened to you?" he asked worriedly. She looked at him for a moment before responding, "Ah, this?" she caressed it gently. It was still bleeding. "Just an accident." She told him. Technically, she didn't lie. But she didn't really tell the truth either. "Oh!" gasped Sakura. They turned to her. "Where's Sai?" she asked. The three just stared at each other in confusion. Yamato answered the question. "He's moving with Orochimaru." Eyes stared wide-eyed. "What?" they chorused.

"Follow me." Was all Yamato said.

'Click'

Yamato turned his key-shaped finger clockwise and the heavy door opened at his will. "Look who we have here." He mumbled. All four of them slid inside, glaring at the traitor. Sai smiled nonchalantly. "Seems like the fake corpse didn't fool you." He said.

"Explain what's going on here." Ordered the jounin captain. Naruto gritted his teeth and stomped in front. He grabbed Sai's collar. "YOU! Why did you betray us?" He all but screeched. Katana shook her head and sighed. 'Where's the surprise?' She asked herself. "You shouldn't make too much noise. You'll get in trouble." Sai told the blonde. Katana arched a skeptical eyebrow. "What? So after betraying us, you're worried about our well-being now?" She snorted. "Naruto, he may not be trustworthy but he's making enough sense. Let him go."

Naruto glared again before finally shoving him aside. Sakura handed something to Sai. "I believe this is yours? We found it when you left us." She explained. He took it from her hands gladly. "Thank you."

"You're under Danzou's commands, aren't you? You were chosen to negotiate with Orochimaru." Sakura guessed.

"What is he up to?" questioned Yamato. He answered his own question. "He's plotting the destruction of Konoha with Orochimaru, right?" Sai smiled wider.

"No, actually—"

"Stop it Sai." Said Sakura. "We know you're lying." Added Katana.

Silence dawned upon them.

"There isn't really much to hide anymore. As you said, he's planning to destroy Konoha." He admitted. "Do you realize what you're saying?" exclaimed the infuriated Naruto. "That's not the end of it." Said Sai. "My mission also concerns giving information about Orochimaru to Danzou-sama."

Sakura gaped at him. "You're planning to use him and dispose of him later on? How –"

"Foolish." Remarked Katana. "Disposing Orochimaru isn't a mere joke. He managed to kill two Kage at a single mission."

"Danzou-sama plans to be always one step ahead of him. In the end, it always ends in betrayal, one way or another." He said. "If Konoha becomes a place of war again, countless people will die! Didn't you even think about the consequences for a moment?" Sakura shouted. Sai snorted. "I just follow orders."

Sakura's eyes fell from his face. "Sai… Why are you so—"

"Heartless?" Sai offered. "Just to remind you, 'Sai' was just a given name to me. In reality, I'm nobody. I'm just a tool. I don't exist."

"Then why do you care for that book you're holding right now?" Katana's question took him by surprise. Gray eyes bore a hole in his forehead. "Even the best shinobi… cannot abandon their emotions completely. There's always something that will show our existence."

He stared in shock. Katana's eyes flashed towards the book. "That book… proves the existence of your brother and you simply cannot bring yourself to forget him. It's because your bond with that person is important."

His eyes widened and the smile faded. "Bonds…"

"Sorry Sai, but we're going to have to leave you with my bunshin here." Yamato apologized. "Right! Now let's go rescue Sasuke!" said Naruto.

"Don't." All turned to Sai. "I met Sasuke-kun. Orochimaru is always with him. Also… Sasuke said he didn't care about you. So why risk your life for him?"

"Sasuke is my friend…" Naruto explained with a smile. "That's why no matter what, I'm taking him back!"

Kunai rained around Sai. The four jumped away. Kabuto landed in front of them. "Judging from the situation, you were caught, Sai?" The medic nin inquired. "I'll trust you for now." He said and cut open the wood that restricted Sai's movements.

Katana took a step forward. "Naruto, Sakura, go ahead. I'll take care of him." Kabuto smirked. "I pity you. People change. Sasuke is no longer the old person you knew." All of a sudden, Sai locked his arms under Kabuto's arms. "What the—!"

"As you said, people change. And here I am right now." Sai turned to them. "But there are things that never change. Bonds… I want to learn more about them." A smile graced Katana's face. They left a bunshin to guard Kabuto while they split into three teams to search for Sasuke inside the lair. Once again, Katana decided to search by herself. With the others gone in different directions, she closed her eyes and focused. Where was the chakra that she was used to? Where? She needed to find it. Her senses found something. Her eyes snapped open and she ran as fast as her legs could take her. She took a left turn. Then a sharp right. She stopped. Sai was peeking inside the room where the chakra came from. "Sai…" she whispered, loud enough for the boy to hear. Sai turned to her. "Ah, Katana-cha—"

"Watch out!" she yelled and pulled him away from the door. They escaped just in time, for the whole room blew up. The two went outside of the newly created hole and was met by sunlight. Katana looked up and squinted her eyes. A tall and dark figure loomed at the top of the pile of debris. "Katana! Sai!" she heard from inside again. She turned. Sakura, Naruto and Yamato were racing to their direction. Sakura seized Sai. "How many times would you try to betray us again?" she growled angrily but was stopped dead in her tracks by a new voice.

"Is that you, Sakura?" She held her breath and slowly looked up. "S-Sasuke-kun…" she choked out, mouth agape. Even Katana found herself staring in disbelief. _He's here… We found him…We found him! _ Her brain tried to process all the scattered thoughts. "Oh? And Katana too?" His voice was deeper now, more mature. "Naruto? You came too? Is Kakashi here as well?"

"Unfortunately, Kakashi-san couldn't be with us. I'm his subordinate." Yamato answered beside them.

"So another weakling was added to your group to replace me, huh? How pathetic." Sasuke remarked, tone as cold as steel. Katana saw the difference now. _"Don't take this the wrong way. I am an avenger. I have to become stronger. Take care of them for me." He began walking away. He spared her a last glance. "Tell them… I'm sorry." _He once said those words with regret and sorrow. Now, he was nothing but a cold and heartless killer… an avenger.

In a flash, he was gone from the top and reappeared in front of Naruto. All of them were too shocked to move. "Isn't being Hokage your dream?" he asked Naruto. "If you had time chasing after me, you would've been better off training. Too bad, this time…"

Katana grabbed the handle of her sword. "This is not Sasuke… "

She moved at his pace, something her teammates hadn't seen since she got back. Black blade clashed with silver. Sasuke spared her a glance of his dead onyx eyes. Her intense orbs glared back in reply. He smirked. "You've trained well." He told her. Flinging Naruto away, he released chakra fast out of his body. Black and gold flames covered her. Lightning flashed at every direction. Chidori surrounded his whole body.

While he was distracted, Sakura chose this moment to attack, charging towards him. Unfortunately, his reactions were fast and he was able to face her, charging up electricity on his blade and thrusting it on her. Yamato blocked the attack with a kunai, but the blade cut through it and injured him. Sasuke backed him up against a boulder.

Katana sprinted swiftly, pointing her blade at his neck. She activated her curse. He turned his head to her, before clashing swords again.

Both were as strong as the other. Neither wanted to back down.

Sasuke's eyes changed into swirling red and black. He stared at Katana. Black and gold vortex stared back. Katana waited for the illusions. She waited for the pain but nothing came. Instead, Sasuke winced and his body shuddered. Katana saw an opening and swung her sword. She gave him a gash in the shoulder. He jumped back at the top again.

He did a seal but was stopped by a pale hand. A hand that belonged to Orochimaru. "Now, now, you shouldn't use that jutsu yet." Said the Snake Sannin. Sasuke only glared at him. "We should go now, Sasuke, Orochimaru-sama." Said Kabuto.

Sasuke looked at his old friends below. Then they disappeared like smoke. Katana turned to Sakura and Naruto, her curse worn off. Their faces were of pure despair. She sighed sadly. Slowly, she approached Sakura first. "Look, we should go home." No answer. "You saw Sasuke right? He's not what he was be—"

A sharp slap on the face cut her off.

She turned her head toward Sakura again. She was crying. "It's your fault." Blamed the pinkette. "It's your fault… If you have stopped him 2 years ago, then this wouldn't have happened!" she yelled. Pain stung Katana's injured cheek. Sakura charged at her. The boys came just in time to stop her. "Stop it, Sakura. You shouldn't blame Katana for this!" reprimanded Yamato.

"Sakura, it's no one's fault." Comforted Naruto. He glanced at Katana.

She stared at his eyes. He looked away.

Her chest tightened. Her friends were in pain. And she was the cause of it. Her hand trembled. "I…"

She stuttered. "I-I'm sorry…" She ran away.

Ohayo! Gosh, I missed updating! Goodbye school year, Hello summer break! Thanks for waiting for the new chapter. As you see, it's extra long. Please enjoy!

~ KatanaSabaku


	16. Chapter 16 Away

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 16: Away

"_I-I'm sorry…"_

"The mission failed…I'm sorry." Her voice bounced back from butter-colored walls of the hospital. Katana simply couldn't meet his eyes. Eyes of the person who brought her up. She felt so ashamed. "I see. They blamed you, didn't they?" Kakashi guessed, sensing that this would eventually happen. No reply came from the girl.

"You know that it's not your fault." He tried again. A snort came from her. "Right… It was _not_ my fault for _not_ stopping him when I had the chance. And my teammates have no right to blame me, is that what you're saying?" Her tone was purely sarcastic yet full of guilt and anger. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure of her closed fists.

Kakashi stared at the girl with sympathy. He knew she blamed herself on what was supposed to be Sasuke's fault. But if one would look at it, _he, _their instructor,should be the one to be blamed. "What's your plan?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Get an A-rank mission that'll make me disappear for months. Go travel somewhere far and train hard. Anything possible just to get away from them for a short period of time." She knew running away and hiding was wrong, but it seemed like the best option at the moment.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want that?" She sighed. "Of course, I don't want this. I'd never want to get away from them. But, really, after what happened, they won't even care if I was gone." She said. There was a shared silence between the two. Time seemed to go by even slower when no words were exchanged.

"Well, be careful." Her head snapped up at him.

"Y-you're okay with it?" she asked in disbelief. Kakashi chuckled. "You'll be fine." His kind eyes never changed. Katana's lips graced a small smile, the first one of the day. "Thank you…" she hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise, "Tou-san."

He found himself smiling back, wrapping an arm around her. "Be careful."

Three knocks were sent on the door. Both of them stared at it and then looked at each other. Katana nodded curtly. "Goodbye, sensei." With that, she jumped out of the window. The door opened. "Kakashi-sensei… who were you talking to?"

Kakashi turned to his students at the doorway. He put on a smile. "I wasn't talking with anybody, Sakura. You must've heard wrong. Now, who was that new member you wanted to introduce to me?"

Katana jumped and ran with ease towards the Hokage office. Too much of a hurry to take the door, she jumped on the roof instead and knocked on the window glass. Two blonde women turned to her. One of them was the Hokage, who grumbled before ordering her assistant to open the window. The other one was a Suna ambassador, and the sister of the Kazekage. As soon as the window opened, Katana went in.

"Ohayo Godaime-sama." She smiled. She turned to the others. "Ohayo Shizune-san, Temari-san. I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion. Were you busy talking about something important?"

Tsunade shook her head and couldn't help but smile at the girl's politeness, even though the said girl came in through the window. "Katana, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I want to ask for a solo mission." Katana stated.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "Already? But you just came back yesterday!"

"I'll be okay." Persuaded Katana. Tsunade sighed. The brunette girl waited. "You must know, Katana. I am more than willing to give you another mission. It takes off a lot in my hands." Then, the Hokage gave her a stern gaze. "But", she continued, "I cannot just send out some random shinobi to a mission just because they want to. Especially if that shinobi just came back from a particularly dangerous assignment without a week's worth of rest."

"Please, Tsunade-sama!" She pleaded. Katana looked down guiltily. "I...need another mission." Tsunade didn't understand everything, but judging from the way she was acting, something from their last mission went wrong and it caused a large misunderstanding between the group of friends. She sighed for the second time. "You want to go on a mission?"

A nod answered her.

"Alone?"

A nod.

"And Kakashi knows about it?"

An eye roll and a nod.

"Well, I could always give you an A-rank mission." She offered. Katana was about to take it when Temari intervened from beside her. "I actually have something to offer you." She said. Katana's curiosity peeked. "You need assistance of something?" she asked her.

"Hai. I'm looking for someone who can help Gaara." With this said, worry showed on Katana's face. "Is he alright?" Temari shook her head and she frowned. "Ever since Shukaku was extracted from him, he's become more agitated and anxious than ever. He wouldn't sleep, no matter what we do. On some times… he faints all of a sudden and we have to rush him in the hospital. After going home, the same routine starts again." Temari faced Katana with a determined look in her eye. "I need someone who can break that habit. And…I believe the best person for that …is you."

Katana's grey orbs widened and she flushed. "M-me? Why me? What good can I do?" she asked then looked down on the floor. "He probably wouldn't even listen to me." Temari clamped a hand down her shoulder. "I know he would. Please Katana, give it a try. Just for 2 months." Temari had never sounded so desperate. 'Am I really the one who can help him?' she asked herself mentally.

And so suddenly, Katana changed her perspective. She wouldn't leave Konoha because she wanted to run away, she would leave it for the sake of helping Gaara. And she felt much better with that reason in her mind now. Temari tightened the lock of her fan. She motioned for the door. "I'm leaving for Suna this evening." She turned to Katana. "So… you coming?"

The 3-day travel was fine for Katana. But as they went closer to Suna, she could feel the scorching heat released from the fine grains of sand. Suna was nothing like Konoha. In Konoha, there was always breeze, green grass under your feet, and those enormous trees that surrounded the area. Here, there was nothing to see but sand dunes and brown colored buildings in the city.

"We're here." Announced Temari rather happily. Katana took one long look at the giant door before them and blinked. "Wow… Uh, the Kazekage mansion, right?" she inquired weakly, gulping at the size of the house. Temari smirked at her companion's reaction. The doors opened, revealing the grand hallway and the staircases that led to several rooms and the Kazekage office.

"For the last time, I don't need sleep, Kankuro." A deep and pissed off voice from inside the room was heard. Apparently, there was an argument brewing between the two brothers when the older sibling and Katana stepped inside the office. Right then, it was all quiet. Katana's eyes caught aquamarine ones. Tired and bloodshot aquamarine eyes. Her gaze took him all in and her expression saddened.

"Katana…What are you doing here?" Gaara questioned in surprise and disbelief. When she didn't answer, he turned to Temari. "Katana's your new personal assistant!" squealed the older sister. The way she said it made both teenagers' eyes twitch in shock. Gaara buried his face in his hands in irritation. "T-Temari…I do not need a personal assistant. I need a medic." He glared at her. "Where is the medic I asked for?" he demanded.  
Temari huffed. "You don't need a medic! You need sleep!" she reprimanded him. Before another fight can ensue, Katana cut in. "Can I ask permission to speak with the Kazekage-sama in private?" she asked. The siblings stared at her. After a moment, Temari sighed. "Come on, Kankuro." The puppeteer stood up from his seat and winked half-heartedly as they pass by Katana as a greeting. She gave him a reassuring smile in return. The two older siblings went out the door. When Katana was sure they were alone, she sat on the sofa where Kankuro was previously seated. Gaara's gaze followed her. She stared at him. He stared back.

She decided to start the conversation. "You seem surprised."

"I am."

"How are you? I heard from Temari-chan that you weren't handling your recovery well." When he didn't reply, Katana continued talking. "They're only worried about you." A quiet sigh escaped his lips, but Katana caught it. She scrutinized his face. The dark rings around his eyes became thicker. Frown lines on his face showed. He looked older compared to the last time they met.

"I don't want them to worry." He answered. "Then maybe, you should listen to them and take a break." She told him. Gaara only shook his head.

"I do not need rest. This paperwork already piled up when I was gone. I need to finish them."

"You won't be able to finish it anyway in that state of yours." Interjected Katana.

"I am fine."

"Sure you are."

"Sarcastic, are we?"

"Not one bit, Kazekage-sama."

He snorted and resumed to the document on his hands. Surprisingly, Katana just stared at him. He shrugged, thinking he was now safe from her witty comments. But Katana thought otherwise.

"Stubborn brat." Remarked Katana, with a smug, mischievous look.

Gaara was taken aback for a second then glared at her. The death glare that made other people want to run away didn't have any effect on Katana. Instead, she smirked at him dangerously. He paled. 'Since when did my glare lose its effect?' Gaara asked himself. "Don't make me take…drastic measures, Gaara-sama…" her voice had a plainly terrifying edge on it. Gaara cleared his throat nervously. "I don't understand what you mean, Katana."

"Oh?" Katana questioned in mock innocence, "then why does Gaara-sama have beads of sweat running down his face?" she teased. His facade faltered. She gripped the handle of her blade and let it slide out of its case. "If you don't want rest…" she threatened, "I believe forcing you is in line."

Gaara thought one thing: 'Oh, crap.' And with that, the fearless poker faced king scampered out of his office and away from the sword-wielding girl that chased her. Oh wait, let me rephrase that. Gaara didn't _scamper_. Only the weak do things such as _scamper_. No, he merely wanted to tire out his opponent.

"Get back here, GAARA!"

This opponent was none other than his newly hired assistant, Katana.

He cursed himself mentally. Why was he running again? And from a girl nonetheless!

'A rabid girl.' He reminded himself. He dashed towards the kitchen. Then to laundry room. She was getting closer. He was getting tired. With no other place to run, he quickly dashed to the living room, only to halt abruptly.

Temari and Kankuro, who were having tea at the moment, gawked at the sight of Gaara. "Uhh…" Gaara mumbled, before falling to the floor with Katana on his back. "Owww…" whined Katana, rubbing her head. She looked down. "Oh." She was sitting on Gaara's back. "Get up." He wheezed. She complied.

"…Gaara?"

He turned to his brother. "Yes?"

"Were you running away from Katana just now?"

"…No." he denied lamely. The puppeteer turned to the girl. "Katana?"

"Hm?"

"Were you trying to kill my brother just now?"

"…Maybe." She answered guiltily.

"I'll be going back to my office." Gaara announced and turned to leave. Katana snapped to him. "H-hey! Wait!" He just kept on walking. "Don't ignore me!" she demanded. No reaction. Annoyed, Katana launched herself on his leg. Gaara almost stumbled, but luckily, he regained his balance just in time. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

She gave a stubborn look. "Sleep!" He frowned and walked again, dragging the other foot with Katana clinging on it. They reached his office once again. Gaara then pried her arms of his leg and flopped down on his chair. Katana sighed. She sat on the sofa.

"Sleep." She deadpanned. He stubbornly refused.

"Gaara, sleep." She begged. This time he ignored her and went back to signing paperwork. She sighed. "Fine then, if you don't want sleep, I will. I'm already darn tired from that travel and you just had to be so troublesome." Gaara's attention was turned to the girl. Katana made herself comfortable on the sofa. Then she closed her eyes. Gaara snorted after a while. 'Like that will have an effect on me.' He rolled his eyes and continued his work.

'Tick…tock…tick…tock' Gaara looked up on the wall clock with his half-lidded eyes. Only ten minutes had past since Katana went to sleep. He glanced at her form. She looked so peaceful, so enticing. His eyes slowly closed and he felt himself being drifted into a slee—

'No!' thought Gaara, his head snapping up. He blinked a couple of times, and then shook his head hard. 'I will not sleep, I will not sleep!' he chanted inside his head. But not even the toughest shinobi can withstand lack of rest. Gaara didn't hold much longer either, resting his head on his desk full of folders and files. He sighed. Who was he kidding? His head was throbbing. His hand was shaking. His muscles were stiff. He was tired. He was dead beat tired, dammit! But still, he remained hardheaded. Why?

Somewhere on the back of his mind, Gaara knew the right answer to that question. But he chose, instead, to just leave it be and finally closed his dark-ringed eyes.

The sound of soft snoring made Katana flick her eyelids opened. She angled her head up, looking at Gaara. A satisfied look crossed her face. The insomniac finally slept. She sat up straight and walked over his desk. Taking several fat files from the table, she began reading each one and signing them. And all the while she's been doing work, there was a question left unanswered inside her head. Why was Gaara torturing himself like this?

Something snapped inside her brain. Realization dawned upon her. She glanced at the redhead and smiled sadly. "Oh Gaara…" she shook her head in slight disapproval. Once she was all done, Katana stood up. Taking a piece of paper and pen, she wrote a message and placed it on his hand. Taking a last glimpse, she shut the door behind her softly.

Waiting on the rooftop of the tower at night was not nice. Katana discovered that by now. The harsh cold wind blew again and this time, it caused her to sneeze. The black shirt that she wore was no match against Suna's violent change in weather. Trying to cheer herself up, she looked up in search of stars, like in Konoha. To her disappointment, there were none. She grimaced, shivering. 'I miss Konoha…I miss home.' She thought glumly. 'I miss Kakashi-sensei…I miss Sakura and Naruto…' Her eyes felt hot, but she refused to acknowledge the dangerously close to falling tears of pain. "Hey." The velvety voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Hastily, she wiped the sides of her eyes and glanced back. "Oh, you're finally awake. How did you find me here?" she asked the redheaded teenager who took a seat beside her. "This is my house, after all." He said, as a matter-of-factly. She chuckled sheepishly. Thick tension hung in the atmosphere. To both their surprise, it was Gaara who broke it.

"Thank you." He muttered.

"Eh?" Katana asked dumbly.

"Thank you", he said again, "for forcing me to sleep." Katana rubbed the back of her neck. "Don't mention it." She said. "Did you read the message?"

"I did." He said. They shared a look. "So, I guess, I'm not the only one who needs comforting, huh?" Katana offered a warm smile.

"Your company here is enough for me. But I want to know what I can do for you." He told her. Her smile faded. "Honestly, I don't know what to do myself." Gaara waited patiently for her to continue. When she didn't, he asked her a question. "When you saw what Uchiha Sasuke turned out to be… did you lose hope of taking him home?"

She met his steady gaze. "…No."

"That's good."

The smile on her face was brought back. They sat there, enjoying each other's company in the chilly night.

**End of Chapter**

Sorry for the late update guys! I got a terrible writer's block the previous days.

Oh, that reminds me. I need an illustrator for my original character, Katana. If anyone there is interested, please send me a message. Thank you!

Keep up the reviews!

~KatanaSabaku


	17. Chapter 17 Of Blushes and Denial

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 17: Of Blushes and Denial

_**Flashback:**_

_Taking a piece of paper and pen, she wrote a message and placed it on his hand._

'_When__ people worry about you, it doesn't mean you're helpless. You're still the same, Gaara. Even though Shukaku isn't with you now, you're still strong enough to deserve the title of Kazekage. Maybe even stronger… Remember, it's not bad to show weakness. The people around you don't only want you to protect them. They want to protect you too in return. Let them protect you.'_

_**End Flashback**_

The hazel brown girl yawned and stretched in bed. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. Taking one look outside the window, she frowned. Katana woke up too early, even for her own liking. But it's not like she could stay in bed either. It was already too hot in the room for someone to sleep. Changing from her night clothes to her usual wear, she went down.

"Ah, Katana-chan, what made you wake up so early?" There was Temari on the living room, just about to leave. "The heat", answered Katana so bluntly, it made Temari laugh. "Where are you going?" she asked the blonde girl.

"I need to take care of something in Konoha, being ambassador and all. One of my brothers will tour you around the village later on. You can fix yourself some breakfast in the kitchen." She replied. The younger one nodded in understanding. Before Temari went out of the door, Katana smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you, Temari-chan." She said.

"Thanks for what?" asked the wind mistress, clueless. "You know, for letting me stay in your house, for treating me like another family member. I don't even feel like an outsider to you guys." Temari beamed at the explanation. "I've always wanted a sister." She confessed. "And, seeing that you make Gaara so happy", Katana fought the urge to blush, "and you liven up the house, I don't see any reason not to welcome you." Winking, she closed the door with a soft click. Katana heard a grumble from her stomach and laughed. She proceeded to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, cold air swept on her face. Basically, she took out anything edible and tried to make something out of it.

An hour later, she finished cooking. Katana glanced at the food in the table and sweat dropped. 'How am I supposed to eat all this? It's enough to feed five people.' The sound of someone getting closer broke her off of her thoughts.

"Hm, why'd you cook so many, Tem? Are we having guests?" asked Kankuro with his eyelids half-open and began searching for the said sister. He was surprised to find Katana instead. "Good morning, Kankuro-kun." She greeted, trying her best not to laugh at the sleepy, childish sight of him. His eyes snapped wide open.

"Ka-katana! Kami, you scared me…" Katana snickered. "Aren't ninjas supposed to be always alert and ready?" she teased. He flushed. Before he could protest, Katana waved her remark away. "I've prepared too much. Mind helping me eat?" she offered, sitting down on the chair. Kankuro shrugged and took a seat as well. The two talked about random topics as they ate. Puppets, fighting techniques, Gaara…

"Oh, and speaking of Gaara, how's it going between the two of you?" asked Kankuro, before taking a bite out of a bacon strip. For the second time of the day, Katana forced herself to control the pink taint that was readily forming in her cheeks. "It's fine. Nothing special. We're just friends after all." She told him. She thought the reply would have Kankuro drop the topic. Instead, the dark-haired boy pressed the matter further. "And how long are you planning to stay as 'just friends'?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Katana. She sent him an annoyed look. "Well?" he inquired again. Seeing no way out of it, Katana spoke. "I don't know. I do like him more than a friend…but I don't know if he feels the same way." Kankuro looked at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Look how he treats you! Isn't it obvious that he likes you back?" he sighed, muttering under his breath something about 'dense geniuses' or something like that. Katana glared and reddened like a ripe tomato. "I'm not dense!" Obviously, she caught the comment. "And how could I know what he feels if he doesn't even tell me!" she complained.

"You know how he's an anti-social… geek." Kankuro finished awkwardly. "You just have to understand him better." Katana broke into a grin. "Seriously, a geek?" She laughed, making Kankuro smile along.

"I really don't care if he's a geek or not. But I'm happy with the way things are right now and I believe so is Gaara. There's no need to rush. We'll, um, go on further when the time is right." She told him. He seemed a bit disappointed with the answer, but decided to stop pestering the girl. When both of them finished eating, Kankuro stood up and collected the dirty plates. Katana volunteered to bring Gaara some breakfast in the office.

"Go ahead", said Kankuro,"after I finish washing these, I'll meet you upstairs and tour you around town." Katana climbed up the stairs, the tray at hand. _I hope Gaara will like it… _she thought nervously. As her fist was about to come in contact, a feminine giggle from inside the room was heard. She stopped in mid-air.

"It's been long since we last met, Matsuri." She heard Gaara's voice. Katana bit her lower lip and hesitated. She took a deep breath. _Why am I so panicked? I mean, come on, we're not anything right? Just…Just friends._ She reminded herself.Three knocks were sent on the wooden door. "Come in."

Katana turned the door knob. Peeking slightly, she saw a tuff of brick red hair seated behind the table. "Katana?" She heard her name called. "What are you doing outside?" Taking another deep breath, she went in. "Good morning, Kazekage-sama." She greeted. Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow on given honorific. "I've brought you breakfast." Said Katana, putting the tray down on the desk full of papers. Gaara eyed the food and nodded in gratitude. "By the way, Katana." He said, motioning for the other girl beside her. "Meet Matsuri", he sent the girl a quick glimpse, "She's my student. Well, _was _my student. She's currently of chuunin level, like you are." Katana smiled and offered her hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Matsuri. I'm Katana Yotsuki and I'm working here as Gaara-sama's assistant." Matsuri shook her hand. "Nice to meet you." Replied Matsuri. Matsuri had short hair, a brown shade lighter than Katana's. Her onyx eyes glinted in the sunshine. She turned to Gaara. "Ah, Gaara-sama, may I pardon myself? Sari may need me this moment." She laughed sheepishly. "You may." Said Gaara.

"Well, goodbye Gaara-sama!" she bowed to him, her smile wide. Turning to Katana, her smile seemed to twitch, as if forced this time. "Goodbye, um, Katana-san." She bowed and took her leave. When the door was shut close, Gaara cleared his throat to get Katana's attention. She turned to him. "What?"

He glanced at her, before pulling the tray of food in front of him. "Why'd you act so distant from me in front of Matsuri?" he asked, taking in a mouthful. "I was not distant." She said defensively.

"And what's with the honorific? You sounded like an old lady."

"Why you—!" she thumped a closed fist on his head. Gaara's only response was to wince. He glared at her, but she didn't seem to care. _If I were a different girl… I'd probably be dead by now._ She thought. "Besides, if I acted too comfortable and friendly around you, they might get the wrong idea." She explained. "What's wrong about being a close friend?" asked Gaara. Katana sighed inwardly. Of course, Gaara didn't quite understand her. He was still learning to socialize after all. His mind was pure and naïve, like a child. She smiled. "You're right. Nothing's wrong about being a friend." She sat down on the sofa. "Still…" she muttered. Ah, another excuse. "If she saw me thump you like it's nothing… what would she think of me? I'm an assistant, so I'm not supposed to do that." She said.

"Exactly. So stop doing it." Gaara teasingly remarked. She rolled her eyes, but not before catching the handsome smirk on Gaara's face. Unknown to both, outside…a bole-haired girl eavesdropped on their conversation and clutched her chest in jealousy.

As promised, Kankuro showed her around. So far, they've visited the Suna academy, the hospital, and the market place.

"And that's Mrs. Shimizu right there. She owns the best bakery here. Ohayo, Shimizu-obaa-san!" Yelled Kankuro as he waved to the old lady. The lady smiled at him and motioned for them to get closer. "My, my, if it isn't Kankuro-kun!" exclaimed the joy woman. She pinched Kankuro's painted cheek playfully. Laughing, she let go. She turned to Katana. "Oh, and who is this young lady?" she inquired. Katana bowed respectfully. "Ohayo, I'm Katana Yotsuki."

"Yotsuki? Hm, that's weird, I'm sure I've heard of a Yotsuki before…" Katana gulped. _I hope it's not my relation with…_ she trailed off. Mrs. Shimizu brightened up like a light bulb. "Ah! Are you one of those Konoha shinobi that saved the young Kazekage-sama? I heard one girl stood out the most. The one who helped up Kazekage-sama? Was that you, my dear?" The series of questions made Katana's cheeks burn like hell. _What is with people and my relationship with Gaara these days?_

"Ah, h-hai. I believe that was my doing." She answered. The woman smiled. "Then, personally I thank you. If it weren't for you and your brave friends…Our village would still be in despair." She smiled warmly. Katana returned it. Kankuro coughed lightly. "We'll stop by your store later, Obaa-san. But for now, let's continue, Katana." They continued walking down the dirt path. "The people here are really nice." Commented Katana, glancing back on Mrs. Shimizu. Kankuro smirked. "Of course. They wouldn't want to offend the Kazekage's girlfrie—"

A death glare. Kankuro chuckled nervously. "I was joking, I was joking!" he said. Still sensing the murderous aura around the girl, he quickly pointed his hand to the nearest place possible. "We're here!" he declared, a little bit too fast. Katana whirled around to see the place. "The...orphanage?" She looked at Kankuro quizzically. His face wasn't a bit reassuring. He himself looked shocked on what he pointed at. "Yep, the orphanage." He tried forcing cheerfulness. Fortunately, Katana asked no more and let Kankuro lead the way.

The bell chimes rang as Kankuro opened the door wide. A black haired woman approached them with a smile. "Good morning, Kankuro-kun! How may I be of help?" she inquired. He pointed at Katana. "A friend of my brother from Konoha. She's staying here for some time so I'm showing her around." He stated. Nudging Katana up front, she introduced herself. "I'm Katana Yotsuki, nice to meet you…"

"Yuki Takeda", she said. They shook hands. She led them to a hallway. "I'm glad you told her of this place, Kankuro-kun." Said Yuki as they walked. They stopped in front of a door. It had a gold title embedded on the wood that says 'Section A'. The inside of the room was like that of a daycare. Lots of toys and crayons were sprawled on the floor. There were about twenty pairs of wide eyes staring at the three adults.

"Good morning, children." Greeted Yuki. "Good morning, Yuki-sensei!" they said back energetically. A boy with flaming yellow hair stood up and pointed at Katana. "Sensei! Who's the pretty lady over there beside Kankuro nii-san?" he shrieked.

Yuki planted her hand on her hip. "Now Hiro-kun, is that the polite way to greet a guest?" she reprimanded softly. The boy sat down. "Everyone, meet Katana Yotsuki. She is a friend of the Kazekage Gaara-sama, so behave, alright?" Yuki gave a smile. "I'll let you bond with them, okay?"

Katana nodded and watched as Yuki went out of the room. Everything as silent again. The children stared at her with curiosity and bewilderment. She bit her lower lip and whispered a question to Kankuro. "What am I supposed to do again?"

He shrugged indifferently. "I dunno. Play with them. Entertain them. Make sure they stay alive." She stared at Kankuro. He looked down on her. "Katana, you're a shinobi. A strong one at that. And these are kids. They don't bite." Sighing, she turned to face the crowd and put on a big grin. "Ohayo! I'm Katana. I'm from Konoha and I'll be staying here in Suna for a while. So! Um, any questions about me?"

Fifteen hands were raised up in the air. Her eye twitched. Scanning the little ones, she spotted the yellow ball of energy again. "Yes, you." She picked. "Hiro, was it?" The blond boy nodded. "What's your question?"

"Are you a ninja, onee-chan?" he asked or rather, shouted. Katana's eyes softened. _He sure reminds me of someone back home…_

"Yes, I am." She answered.

"Then you must have some wicked jutsu!" he guessed.

"Yeah! Can you teach us?" piped in some others.

Katana smiled. "You guys are still far too young to handle the immense training I had."

"Oh, oh!" she picked a little girl this time. She wore a pink dress and had two, big front teeth. "What does Konoha look like?" Now that question had many answers. And as Katana described the place to them, her longing to go back home grew.

"Onee-chan! Is the Kazekage-sama a good friend?" queried a small girl with violet eyes. Kankuro's ears perked up. "The Kazekage?" Katana thought of this. "Well", she answered hesitantly. "He doesn't talk much and he can be rather indifferent around strangers…" a smile graced her lips. "But he's strong and brave. And he could be really nice to you, if you'd get to know him." The girl blushed. "Really?" she asked again, her tone full of admiration. Katana chuckled. "Really."

Now all the others were interested. "When I grow up, I want to marry Kazekage Gaara-sama!" declared a bold girl from the group. There were laughs and cheers. Kankuro couldn't help but shake his head and smirk. "You can't do that!" shouted a brunette.

"And why not?"

"Cause I'll marry him first!"

"No, I will!"

Hiro broke up the argument. He crossed his chubby arms across his chest. "You girls can't marry the Kazekage-sama!" The girls went 'aww' in disappointment. "Why not?" pouted the previous girl. "Because", reasoned out Hiro, "You're too annoying for him."

"And too loud." Added another.

"And picky." A big argument about which gender was better broke out. "Whoa, whoa. Calm down." Said Katana, trying to break the two groups apart. The children, although not very happy with the idea, listened to Katana and made up. Once they were done fighting, Katana taught them some basic jutsu like Henge, Bunshin and some others. By the end of the day, the kids were weary from all the practice. But they thanked Katana and requested her to come over again some time. As Katana was leaving, she felt a small hand tug at the black fabric of her shirt. Looking down, she saw a timid girl fiddling with her fingers. She knelt down to the child's eye level. "Hey…" her soothing voice went. "What's your name?"

"…Miyuki…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Well, Miyuki, you wanted to tell me something?" The girl nodded shyly. "Go ahead." Katana encouraged the mousy girl. She edged to Katana further and whispered something on her ear. She listened carefully to every word. Then she broke into a beam. She stood up. "Of course. I can do that, Miyuki-chan." Waving good bye, she and Kankuro left.

"Here's your coffee." Katana laid down the warm cup on Gaara's desk and took some documents. She sat down and went to signing them to speed up the work.

"Thank you." Said Gaara. Katana only grunted in reply. "So… how did your tour go?" _It's surprising that he's talkative and concerned today._ Thought Katana. "It went well. The people were all nice. So were the children."

"The children?" _Bingo! He took the bait. _She mentally cheered.

"Yes. Kankuro and I went to the orphanage. And I must say", an uncontrollable smirk forced its way to her face. "you have quite a lot of admirers over there." Gaara blinked twice, his brain trying to process the idea. "…Really?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yep." She said. "Some wanted to be your future bride." His aquamarine eyes widened visibly. Without saying another thing, he sipped on his coffee. "Oh, and", added Katana, now finished with her share of work and ready to leave, "One girl requested me to ask you if you'd mind to be the father of her child." Coffee sputtered out of the redhead's mouth. He coughed and gagged, making Katana's smirk grow wider. She headed for the door. "Don't disappoint her." With a wink, Katana shut the door firmly. Walking in relaxed strides, she thought aloud. "So that's why she's so shy to ask." _Ah, kids these days…_

**End Chapter**


	18. Chapter 18 A break?

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 18: A break?

Two weeks had past since Katana came to Suna. And those two weeks had been quite good for both Gaara and his siblings. He slept in a minimum amount of four hours and sometimes a maximum of six. He's still adjusting, Temari mused, but he sure was a lot better now. His strength and stamina had come back. His chakra was of normal level again. And he wasn't so grumpy all the time now. Yes, he is still stoic but at rare times, if their eyes were fast enough, they would catch the small smile on his pale face. It was all thanks to a doing of one girl…

Temari found herself watching the two lovebirds talk to each other over a nice cup of tea.

'Ah…they're sooo made for each other. Wouldn't it be nice if Katana became my sister-in-law? Why can't they just swallow their prides and confess already? I'm darn tired seeing them so hesitant!' she thought, brewing a master plan in her mind. Said two lovebirds were, in turn, staring uncomfortably at the blond wind mistress.

"Temari, are you alright?" asked Katana, tone laced with concern and uncertainty. When the girl didn't respond, Gaara cleared his throat loud enough to snap his sister out of her trance.

"Wait, what? What's wrong? What happened?" demanded Temari all of a sudden, flipping her humongous fan open to blow away those who dare hurt her brother. But Temari saw Gaara sitting in his chair like always, safe and sound. And maybe a bit confused. "Nothing happened Temari." He stated. "We were just wondering why you staring at us."

"Staring? I wasn't sta—" Then, her idea popped up so suddenly in her mind. This was the perfect chance. She mentally gave herself a pat on the back. "Oh yes." She answered dramatically. "I couldn't help but notice… that the two of you looked so tired from all the work." Gaara and Katana shared a look before turning back to Temari.

"Tired?" inquired Gaara. Temari nodded her head encouragingly. "Yes! I mean, just look at Katana! She's pale and her eyes look…sickly." She finished. Katana gave Temari a funny look. "I assure you Temari, I'm just fi—"

"No, you're not." Cut in Temari.

"Yes, I a—"

"Nope." interrupted Temari again. "Gaara, come on. Look at her!"

Gaara scanned Katana up and down. He turned to her. "What do you want me to do?" he asked. Temari brightened up like a happy firefly. "You know what the two of you need? You need a break."

"A break?" both of them chorused. Temari nodded again. "A well-earned break." Gaara gave her a blank stare. "Katana can rest, if she wishes. But I thought that you of all people should know that I cannot just rest whenever I want to."

Her face fell. "Why not?" The sight of a pouting Temari was just too odd to see. Remaining passive, Gaara answered what for him was the most obvious answer. "I am the Kazekage, Temari. I have duties to take care of." Temari waved the problem away. "Silly. Of course I know that. While you're gone out relaxing, I'll take care of everything here!" she reassured.

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow suspiciously. "Everything?"

"Everything." She repeated. Gaara closed his sea foam colored eyes and sighed in defeat. The girls waited for his answer.

"…Alright." He droned out slowly. Gaara turned to Katana. "Change and I'll take you to dinner." She sighed as well and complied. Temari's smile couldn't be any wider than it already was. 'Everything is going according to my plan!' She followed Katana out of the office.

"Hey, come with me." Said Temari. She didn't even wait for Katana's reply and dragged the poor girl to her room and locked the door. Pointing at her bed, she ordered the brunette to sit down. Then she slammed open her closet and began to search for the right dress.

Clothes literally flew every where. "Temari…" she started quietly. "I don't look that tired now, do I?" The blond, who was currently digging in her closet, froze in her spot. She turned to Katana and smiled nervously. "Sure you do." Katana crossed her arms across her chest and frowned. "Temari…"

She gulped. It was hard to escape this one. "Well, you seem really uhm," she reasoned out, "stressed and all that so, ah…. I was wondering if maybe you're a little too hard on yourselves, that's why I suggested for you two to go out on a da—" She coughed. "Break." Katana shook her head slowly. Really, she didn't look a bit convinced but just chose to remain silent and let Temari help her.

"Why are they taking so long?" muttered Kankuro. He and his brother stayed on the living room. The older one regarded Gaara. He wore his red suit, with his gourd settled down on the floor. He sweat dropped. 'This kid really doesn't know what to wear on dates, does he?'

But even with the simplicity of his attire and that indifferent look on his face, he was still handsome. His brick red hair was splayed across his forehead, but left the love kanji showing. Pale, aquamarine eyes were calm and peaceful. The tapping of footsteps can be heard. Both males looked up. "Temari, are you sure this is a good idea?" they heard Katana ask. "You look fine, Katana! Actually, you look great. Now stop playing with the ribbon."

As soon as the girls were in line of sight, Gaara's eyes immediately fell on the brown-haired girl. Striking grey eyes matched well with the silver bow placed side wards on her head. She was clad in a gold, corset-like top, a silky black skirt and a black over coat. He was familiar with the outfit, for he saw his sister wear it once. But only once, for she claimed that it did not fit her. Now, staring at the beautiful girl in front of her, his throat went dry.

"So, how does my masterpiece look like?" asked Temari smugly, pride evident in her voice. Katana flushed. She wasn't used to wearing dresses. The skirt that she wore suddenly made her very conscious. She pursed her lips.

Kankuro broke into a grin. "Wow, Katana, you look wonderful!" he exclaimed. Katana smiled sheepishly in thanks.

"Let's not delay the two of you further. Go on now." Gaara grabbed his gourd before Temari pushed both of them towards the door. They went outside and were greeted by the cold evening breeze. "Have fun!" Temari called out for one last time, before they were out of earshot.

They walked beside each other, Gaara's arms crossed on his chest and Katana with her hands hidden on her back. They didn't dare to look at each other for fear of madly blushing afterwards. Katana coughed lightly to get her companion's reaction.

"Why did you agree to Temari? I don't look pale or sickly, right?"

An almost inaudible sigh escaped his mouth. "If I hadn't agreed…" trailed off Gaara, "she would have bothered me to death." Katana snickered. "She's that stubborn, huh?" She received a slight nod from him.

When silence dawned to them again, Katana noticed all the eyes staring at her. There were timid murmuring, giggles and even bets. She reddened and tensed. Gaara sensed her discomfort.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked in a low voice. She edged to him nearer. He lowered his head. "They're…staring at us." She whispered. He scanned their surroundings and realized what she said. All the villagers were indeed gawking at them. The old women were cooing and exchanging opinions about Katana. The men were all smirks, betting against one another about something that concerns them as well. And other girls huffed and occasionally glared at Katana in envy and jealousy.

'They think we're together…' Although his face betrayed no emotion, something about that thought made his heart race faster and melted his insides into a puddle of goo. It was a tingly kind of feeling that he can get used to anytime. Slowly, he reached for her hand and wrapped his pale, strong one around hers. He was never one to show affection in public, especially when he wasn't even sure what their relationship status was yet, but right then, he made an exception. Katana felt her face burn and snapped at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm and panic. The glares given off in her direction was beginning to increase. Gaara glanced at her innocently and said nothing but squeezed her hand gently as if to say, _don't worry about them. _ Her lips curved upwards. He was only trying to comfort her. They reached the restaurant with their hands still held. The owner of the place welcomed them warmly.

"It is a great honor for us to serve you, Kazekage-sama." They bowed in full respect. Gaara shook his head. "I eat here every time as an ordinary person, Fujita-san. So like before, my companion and I are just ordinary people here to eat today. Please, there's no need to be formal." The old man smiled broadly at Gaara. "As you wish, Gaara-sama." He said. "But please, I insist that your orders today are on the house." Gaara argued no more and let the waitress lead them to their table.

As Katana told him more stories about Naruto, her friends and Konoha as they ate, he couldn't help but notice her remarkable features. Unlike before, her face was now mellower and more womanly. The dress that she wore hugged her fit body and there was this unexplainable glow within her. "We were all like, 'Can you believe it?'" she remarked, grinning, "Naruto had actually beaten Chouji in a ramen-eating contest!" Hearing her melodious laugh, a spark was set off inside him. Without realizing it, he smiled at her. It was a small genuine smile, something that he had never showed to other people except for his siblings. Her laughing seized little by little and was replaced by a beam.

"You look better smiling." She said. His mind registered the statement and the smile faded. He coughed in excuse and looked away. Still smiling, she resumed eating. "After you're finished, I want to show you something." He said. Excitedly, she wolfed down her food and wiped her mouth clean with a napkin. "All done!" she declared. Gaara blinked at her, eyes wide.

He led her outside and took out a white cloth. Going behind her, he tied the blindfold securely. "Is this really necessary?" asked Katana in annoyance. He smirked. "No." She was so easy to piss off sometimes. "Why you—!" She growled and made a clumsy lunged at him that only resulted to her almost falling. Almost. Gaara caught her just in time. "Are you okay?" His breath mingled with her puffs in the air. She gulped. "Y-yeah. Just fine." Gaara sighed in disapproval. "You should be more careful." He told her. She grunted. The sand and his voice guided her out of the crowd. As they went on further, the surrounding became calmer. Katana was getting more curious by the minute. "Gaara…Are we there ye— Hey!" The sand suddenly let go of her hand. She had no support and no idea where she was. She tried to reach for the knot of her blindfold but couldn't untie it anyway for it was in an awkward position.

"Gaara, this isn't funny!" protested Katana, her eyes barely seeing through the thick fabric covering it. It was almost night, judging by how cold the wind was. Katana shuddered. "Gaara where are you?" she asked. A warm hand was brought down on her arm and led her to the right way. They stopped and Gaara undid her blindfold. Peeking slightly, her shining orbs widened. "Wow, this is beautiful…" she breathed out. They were on top of a high cliff and below were the endless ocean of sand, glittering silver in the moonlight.

They sat on the edge, their feet dangling. After a moment, Gaara spoke. "This is where I was when I first decided to run for the position of the Kazekage."

Katana smiled. "Naruto changed you a lot, didn't he?"

"He did." He agreed. "But you were the one who encouraged me to change." She laughed pleasantly. "Yeah…You were quite a pain in the ass back then." She said. Sensing her teasing tone, he took no offense. Instead, he snorted. "You were the one who made friends with the pain in the ass." He saw her grin. "That's true." She admitted. She turned to face him. "And I never regretted having that pain in the ass as my friend." He smiled faintly.

"You know", started Katana mischievously, "your nickname should be officially 'A pain in the ass'." Gaara frowned and she bursted out laughing but calmed down immediately.

The serene silence was shared upon the teenagers. Katana looked up at the moon, oblivious to the gaze of the redhead. She smiled again, her eyes focused at the silver light. That was her name. Katana of the Yotsuki Clan. Sword of the Night Moon. She shook her head at the irony.

"You look beautiful tonight." He commented before he could even stop himself. He flushed in shock and cursed himself mentally. Startled, she faced him again. Realization of what he just said dawned to her, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. "Oh… thanks." She tugged at her hair, which was suddenly interesting for her. It was a sign of embarrassment, which Gaara kept in mind.

He, too, was rather ashamed of what he blurted out. The harsh gust of cold wind hollered at them and Katana, who was still adjusting to Suna's climate, shivered and moved nearer to Gaara's warmth. His face turned to the color of his hair. Gulping nervously, he wrapped a protective arm around her.

As he held her, he felt so…so… lightheaded. It was like that tingling feeling before. Katana thanked Kami that it was already dark and her face was hidden away from him for she was bright red in the face as well. When she edged closer, she thought he would tense and push her away. But no, he did the complete opposite and even wrapped an arm around her. Everyone knew that she and Gaara had a mutual feeling between them but they just hadn't had the chance to talk about it. So when it comes to things like these, they were always hesitant and nervous.

_Perhaps that chance to talk about it is right now? _Thought Katana. The nervous boiling pit in her stomach was making her quiver even more. Gaara, who thought that she was still cold, pulled her against him closer. He was actually thinking the same thing inside that was bothering Katana.

'Maybe I need to tell her how I feel before it's too late?' He considered the idea. 'But then what would I say?' He inwardly groaned in frustration.

_Gaara, I thought a lot about us in the past few days and—_

'And I just feel that we're so—'

_Perfect for each other? Ick, that's so cliché._

'…That's plain gross.'

As the two busied themselves on thinking of a way on how to confess, Temari and Kankuro watched them from a tree top above. Who took care of the paperwork, you might ask? Well, let's just say their previous sensei was having trouble in the office right now.

"Aren't they cute together, Kankuro?" gushed out Temari. The puppeteer sighed. "Tem, that's like the tenth time you said that." She rolled her eyes at his comment. "So what? It's true anyway, isn't it?" She turned back at them. "I just wish they'd get it over with and kiss!" Kankuro blanched. "Oi, you're being too noisy!" he scolded her. Temari didn't seem to hear him. "Come on you two! Kiss!" she demanded, only to regret it later on. "Did you hear that?" It was Katana's voice.

'Shit!' She and Kankuro thought as they ducked.

Gaara and Katana looked back. There was nothing. Katana scratched her head. "I was pretty sure I heard something." She mumbled. An idea hit Gaara. He stood up so suddenly, he startled Katana. "Gaara is something wrong?" she asked. He shook his head quickly and helped her up.

Once she stood in her own, he did a quick hand seal. His gourd spat out sand and gathered underneath his feet. Soon, it was like a sturdy, circular disk that he stood on. He floated upwards. Katana stared at him in awe. She could sometimes forget what he can do with his sand.

He offered his hand to her. She only looked at it. "Come with me." He said. She looked up at him, and then looked down below the cliff. It was a long way down. She gulped. He followed her gaze and came to a conclusion. "Are you afraid of high places?" he asked cautiously. She shook her head. "I'm just afraid of falling." She corrected. She hesitated.

"Trust me." His words held sincerity. She bit her lower lip and reached for his hand. He pulled her up beside him and shot upwards. Afraid for her dear life, she clutched on Gaara's waist tightly. They went a good ten feet up or so and finally stopped. He pointed down and she looked at it. It was like looking at a miniature version of the Suna village. Fear escaped her system as she became more engrossed with the scenery. She didn't even notice that they were already going down, in front of the Kazekage mansion. They entered the house and found Temari and Kankuro waiting for them. Gaara stared at his siblings. After a while of scrutinizing, he asked.

"Why are the two of you covered in bruised and smudges of dirt?" They sweated.

"We were…" started Temari.

"Well, we uh…" Kankuro tried next.

"Sparred?" offered Katana helpfully. They brightened up. "Yes, sparred!" they exclaimed. Gaara gave them a flat look that simply said, 'You have to try better than that next time.' He let them off the hook, for now. Katana and Gaara went upstairs to their respective rooms. While rested on her mattress, Katana thought about the past happenings. _I didn't get to tell him what I wanted to say…_She turned to her side and curled. _But who knows? I might get another chance tomorrow._

She drifted off to sleep, not knowing on how wrong she was.

**End of Chapter**


	19. Chapter 19 Dangerous Rivalry

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 19: Dangerous Rivalry

The 'drip-drip-drip' sound of the water bounced off the walls. The heavy scent of musk was giving her headaches. Although her eyes were wide open, she couldn't see a thing. _Where am I?_ It was pitch black, cold and damp.

The eerie silence was broken by laughter. It was a very familiar one and she knew she's heard of it before. "You've grown so big…haven't you, Katana?" the voice addressed her. Her head jerked to the direction of the sound. There was no one there. Fear crept up her spine. Where was she and who was this person talking to her? "Over here…" whispered the voice. She turned again. Again, she saw no one. An idea went inside her mind. "Tamiko? Is that you? Show yourself!" she demanded. Whoever or whatever it was laughed darkly once more. "Tamiko… No, no. Tamiko was only a bridge. It's funny", said the stranger between chuckles, "how I've been with you for so long, yet you don't even recognize me." Footsteps echoed back and forth in the darkness.

"I am your source of strength and weakness… a thing you hate but direly need… I am your worst nightmare…A creature from born from hate and pain."

A figure slowly emerged from the dark. Her eyes widened in size. "Y-you… Y-you're…!" choked out Katana. The other person smirked. "Yes…I am you!" The other 'Katana' pushed her on an endless pit, engulfed by the shadows, with no one to help her.

Inside her room, Katana shot up straight and fell off her bed with a thud. Breathing in ragged gasps, her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings. Shakily, she let out a relieved sigh. She was about to rest her head again, when someone pounded on her door. Glancing in alarm at the door, she stood up, sword at hand, and stumbled her way over. She jerked the door open and pointed her blade. "You…!" she hissed.

She saw who was knocking and dropped the weapon. "Kankuro, what?" she whined, flopping down on the soft mattress. Kankuro's expression was near to saying 'HolyShitwhatwasthatfor?' in a very fast manner, but instead he took a deep breath and made a mental note that this was the last time he'd wake her up. "Gaara wanted to speak with you." She grimaced and stood up. "Alright. Thank you, Kankuro."

Stifling a yawn, she dragged herself towards the headquarters, thinking of possible reasons why Gaara would call her on such an early time. "Come on, Gaara-sama, you know you want it…" She froze. It was a feminine voice coming from inside. No, it wasn't Matsuri, for she had a far timid and squeaky voice. This one however, was sultry, sending goose bumps to anyone who hears it. Tentatively, she knocked. "Come in, Katana." When Katana opened the door, the first thing she noticed was the busty kunoichi that sat on Gaara's desk, her body turned in his direction, but her face on Katana. Raven locks were caught in a messy ponytail and some fell on her forehead. Her violet eyes seemed to see through anything. Plump, red lips formed an amused smirk. She wore a red vest and black shorts to match her hair color. Next to her, Katana's looks were nothing.

She was intimidated, but ignored the woman nonetheless, "Gaara-sama, you summoned me?" she inquired, wearing her best emotionless expression. Gaara nodded sharply. He handed her a letter. "It's a letter from your father." Katana took it and didn't bother to look at the label. "Is that all Gaara-sama?" she asked again.

"Yes, you're dismi—"

"Gaara-sama, so mean!" The kunoichi on the desk slapped Gaara's shoulder playfully. "Why don't you introduce me to your um…", she looked at Katana up and down and made a face of slight disgust that made the brunette's blood boil, "assistant…" She smiled sickly sweet at him. Gaara ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed.

"Katana, this is Kazumi Suzuki, a special jounin of our village. Kazumi, this is Katana Yotsuki, a friend of mine." Kazumi made her way towards the girl and stopped in front of her. "Pleasured to meet you, Katana." She offered her hand. Katana took it and shook. "The pleasure is all mine, Kazumi-san." Unlike Katana's coarse hand due to years of training, hers was soft and slender. Flashy violet and intense grey eyes clashed with each other, although smiles were present on both faces. The tension between them was thick enough for a butter knife to slice. "Yotsuki, right? In any chance are you from—"

"Konoha? Yes." Interrupted Katana. She wasn't in a particularly good mood to fake politeness or to chitchat. The other girl raised a thin eyebrow at her defensive answer. Her smirk matched that of the devil. "So, you were together with those who saved Gaara-sama…" she encircled her, like a predator waiting to pounce on the prey. Katana nodded curtly. "Indeed, I am." Her answers were short and blunt, providing little to no interest for the raven-haired girl.

Kazumi tried again. "I heard Konoha shinobi are strong…And I've been wanting to spar with one since then." Katana said nothing, but held her chin high. She wouldn't give in. Not yet. Kazumi reached out and twirled a stray brown strand around her finger.

"What do you say, sweetheart? Wanna test the theory?" Katana cleared her throat dry. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm kind of busy helping out Gaara-sama." She watched as Kazumi clicked her tongue against her teeth, making a 'tsk' sound. "Of course, how can I forget? Silly me." She laughed and sent Katana a sly look. "But I'd hate to see you going soft from all that office work, dearie." Katana's eyes reduced into dangerous slits, her fist clenching around the letter. "I'm not going soft." She argued, her tone changing in so many levels. _Ah, dammit! _She gave in. Fell on the obvious trap.

"Then why don't you prove that to me?" whispered Kazumi tauntingly in her ear. She chuckled again. "I'll meet you in the Suna training grounds. Bye!" She waved her hand at them and sent another irritatingly cunning smile. "Don't disappoint me, hon." The special jounin disappeared with a whoosh of air and left Katana fuming.

Her knuckles were white with pressure around the crumpled envelope and her shoulders stiff from standing so straight. "Is something bothering you?" She turned to the redhead. He was staring, no emotion on his face like always, but with a hint of concern flashing through his eyes once in a while. She frowned but his voice somehow relaxed her tense muscles. "Just a bad nightmare." She muttered softly. It sounded lame and childish, considering the reason came from her, the feared sword-wielder. And she was somewhat surprised when Gaara only soften his gaze. She smiled lopsidedly in appreciation. "You should rest…rather than fight Kazumi."

The appreciation faded and was replaced by a stubborn scowl. "No. I'm not backing out."

"She only means trouble, Katana. Fighting her would be a waste of time." Katana ignored him and made her way towards the door. "Backing down on a fight is a disgrace to us of the Yotsuki Clan." She replied. She opened the door.

"…Then at least, please change into something more...uh " Gaara trailed off, unable to find the right word to describe it. Confused, Katana looked down at her outfit and instantly blushed crimson. She let out a forced and embarrassed laugh as she quickly kicked herself out. Gaara smirked in amusement. 'She wants to spar while wearing pajamas?' he thought as he shook his head at the hilarity of it.

Katana locked the door of her room and hurriedly changed into a sleeveless shirt and a pair of training shorts and snatched her sword. Tying it around her hips, she noticed the wrinkled paper. In Kakashi's handwriting, the front said, "To: Katana Yotsuki". She opened it and read.

'_Katana,_

_Hey! It's me, Sakura. And this baka beside me too! I heard from Tsunade-sama that you're spending two months there in Suna as the Kazekage's assistant. I hope you're having a good time there. _

_Anyway… Naruto and I wanted to apologize for our behavior towards you when our last mission failed. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I know it wasn't anyone's fault. Sasuke chose to leave Konoha on his own. And I shouldn't have blamed you for it. I hope…I hope you'll come back as soon as possible. We miss you here. It's not Rookie 9 without you. _

_Love, Sakura and Naruto'_

Grey orbs stared in disbelief at the written words. "Th-they're…They're not mad at me…" Along with the eased smile on her previously sour face, Katana couldn't stop the tears of relief that flowed. She looked at the paper again. There was a small message written.

'_P.S. Things had changed so much around here. I've got some bad news for you. Asuma-sensei is dead. He was killed by two Akatsuki members named Hidan and Kakuzu. They're dead too. Team 10, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto and Yamato-taichou got them. Please be careful.' _

"Asuma-sensei…dead?" Somehow, even to her ears, it seemed too impossible to happen.

"Ah, Katana, darling!" gushed out Kazumi in fake sweetness. "You took so long I didn't expect you to show up anymore!" She batted her eyelashes. Katana, in the contrary didn't bother to answer back or even greet her opponent. She removed the slender blade that hung loosely and set it down on a bench before proceeding to wrap bandage cloth on both hands. Kazumi can only stare dumbly as Katana prepared herself.

"Uh…What are you doing?" the black-haired girl asked, pointing to the white cloth on the brunette's arms. Katana stared back. "Let's end this quick. Both of us will be using hand to hand combat, no weapons or any kinds of jutsu are allowed." She stated, positioning herself on a battle stance. Kazumi blinked. "Wha—" She didn't get to finish her question for Katana disappeared from within her sight only to reappear behind her and send her landing on her butt with an audible 'thump'.

"Ow!" Kazumi winced and rubbed her backside. She glared viciously at Katana, her charming façade crumbling down. "You'll pay big for that!" She snarled. She stood up and charged. Punches, kicks and curses were thrown to Katana, but she dodged every attack easily.

The composed behavior Katana had made Kazumi even more frustrated and riled up. The fight between the two was intense and close, neither wanting to be overpowered by the other. Kazumi could see well that both of them were tired and Katana's movements were comparably slower than before. As Katana aimed a punch on her jaw, Kazumi fell on her knees. She panted. "I…lost." Tears glided down the sides of her face.

Katana jumped back and evened her breathing. Sweat ran down her body, the desert sun shining mercilessly at them. She turned her back on the fallen girl. "I'll be going now." She said and walked away. Kazumi's head snapped up, the glint in her eyes showing.

"Hey, Katana." The said girl turned to her, only to see a paper bomb explode in her way. Smoke covered her line of vision and made her cough violently. Several newly sharpened kunai pinned her down on the nearest wall. Eyes widening in shock, she struggled to free herself. Kazumi chuckled at the pathetic sight of her, the smoke from the explosion clearing.

"Look at you, trapped helplessly against that wall." She teased. Katana glowered. "You cheated." She spat angrily. Kazumi laughed again. "Of course I did." She trotted her way in front of the brunette. She took a strand of hair and yanked on it. Katana winced, feeling the sting on her scalp.

"Why do you think I got a high position?"

Katana snorted. "You're a fake and a liar. You don't deserve your rank." Again, the girl pulled on her hair, a little harder this time. "At least I've got enough guts for a little dirt on my hands and unlike you…I can do this!" Kazumi plunged down a poisoned knife hard into Katana's arm. A pained scream came out of Katana's mouth, feeling the venom enter her body.

Kazumi backed away and watched the injured girl's body fall down on the ground and rack uncontrollably. "I wonder what Gaara-sama sees in a useless girl like you. All he ever talks about is you, you and you…But I won't let anyone steal him from me." She sneered, kneeling down to see the pale face of Katana.

"If I can't have him, then no one can." She said. Katana's vision was blurring by the second. Something was churning inside her. _What is this feeling? _Her hand jerked so suddenly. _What the—_

"Heh." Snickered Kazumi. "Now the fun begins." Katana could only stare in horror, as her body moved on its own. She tried to fight it, the strong urge that made her want to kill. Something bad was happening to her and it was because of that poison. "K-Kazumi, what d-did you do t-to me?" she screamed in panic. So suddenly, she was beside the bench, her hands gripping her sword in a stance.

Kazumi grinned wildly. "My, my, Katana…" she challenged, "Surely you're not thinking of _killing _me, are you?" Her body responded fast, slashing and swiping in every direction. Katana felt helpless. She was like a puppet, completely depended on its master's strings. In her case, she let Kazumi manipulate her.

"Wouldn't Gaara-sama just be downright disappointed with you? Kami, what would he say?" The mocking tone of the kunoichi made Katana halt herself. Yes, Gaara. What would he say? How would he react? No, she couldn't let herself lose control. Her body shook. Her mind was confused and hazy. But there was nothing left that she could do when her system blacked out.

Once again, Katana was back on the exact same place in her dream. Only this time, there was a tiny hole up above and dim light was spread all over the place. Puddles of water were randomly placed on the cold and hard ground where Katana sat, hands gripping her head. "IDIOT!" she yelled in frustration. It echoed all around, sounding like a condemnatory crowd.

She shut her eyes tight, teeth clenching. She wanted to bash her head in the nearest wall for her stupidity. It's not like she'd feel the pain of it anyway, for her whole body was numb. But something made her pause. She focused, her eyes sealed. She could her faint screams of fear and panic coming from outside. She could hear the ANBU, speeding after her. And Kazumi's shouts…

"I don't know what happened, but she suddenly went on a rampage!"

The civilians…

"Please, stop her!"

Temari…

"Katana! Katana! It's me, Temari!"

And Kankuro…

"Katana, listen to us!"

"Grandma, save me!"

She bolted up with blazed eyes of pure rage. This was going too far. There are people being harmed, dammit! She wasn't going to let Kazumi do this. She was going to take control again no matter what. Gathering a massive amount of chakra in her hands she forced her curse to trigger. The pain was extremely immense, feeling her bones crack under the pressure of it. She winced but continued on gathering and pushing the chakra inside her body. Pain was a good sign. It meant she was beginning the gain consciousness again.

"Katana, drop that weapon right now." Black and gold eyes snapped back into life. Katana stared at the scene before her eyes. She was completely surrounded by the ANBU, Temari and Kankuro, who had their weapons on ready and Gaara, whose sand was halfway wrapped around the arm that held her sword. They were all giving her different looks. Confused ones, disbelieving ones and a look that pained her most… aquamarine eyes looking down in disappointment. She looked down shamefully as well, only to widen her eyes in shock. A small, fear-stricken boy was trapped within the confines of her left arm and her silver blade pointing close on his throat. She tensed and flung away her beloved weapon. The boy ran away from her, almost tripping on his two feet, and jumped into an old woman's embrace. The old woman was no other than Mrs. Shimizu; her indignant and worried look was as cold as ice.

Katana felt her hands shake. Her eyes, now in their normal color, stayed wide in shock and trauma. _W-what have I done?_ She hardly noticed the crimson fluid that oozed out of her wounds in a rapid rate.

"I never thought you'd go as far as that just to beat me, Katana." She turned; meeting angry glares along, and met a certain violet doe-eyed female. Kazumi was slyly smirking, looking more than pleased with the result. The raven-haired girl's expression changed from amused to scared as she turned to Gaara. "I didn't know what I said or did to piss her off. We were just sparring and she was starting to lose and—" Gaara's hand cut off her little rant. He turned his back and walked away. "Katana, you and I will have a talk."

**End Chapter**

Sorry if I took so long before updating again! I had quite a troublesome writer's block along the way. But here it is now, chapter 19! Please review and tell me what you think of it. (Still had minor writer's block while doing this.) Thank you! XD

~KatanaSabaku


	20. Chapter 20 Shattered into pieces

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 20: Shattered into pieces

Whispers and murmurs were exchanged between gossiping nurses and medics.

"Have you heard about the news?"

"Hai! My brother told me about the chaos in town."

"I heard Kazumi-san was involved! And Katana-san too!"

"Katana-san? You mean the Kazekage-sama's assistant?"

"Oh my…I thought that girl was nice…"

All went silent when they heard shouting from inside the said girl's room.

"It wasn't my fault!" Katana angrily slammed her hand on the table beside her bed, causing the water in the glass to spill. "We were sparring when she cheated and stabbed me with a drugged knife!" She was covered in bandages and scratches. Gaara grimaced.

"What is the connection of her stabbing you with a knife to you wrecking half of my village?" he asked harshly.

"The poison was the reason why my body went berserk on its own!" She exclaimed in exasperation.

"That's your reason?" he demanded again.

She gritted her teeth. "I told you, it's not MY fault! Why _won't _you listen to me?"

"Then let me ask you: Why _didn't you _listen to me?" he asked back. This time, she had no answer. She looked away guiltily, not wanting to meet his gaze. They stayed like that for a moment, with Gaara waiting for her to say something.  
When it was clear that she didn't want to talk, he stood up stiffly from his chair and went out the door, slamming it hard behind him. Katana cringed at the loud 'bang' that emitted from it. She sighed and pulled the covers up her body, not paying attention to the overwhelmed tears that fell while she slept. After that incident at the hospital, Gaara and Katana rarely talked to each other anymore. They would ignore each other all day and night, not caring what happens. It was like neither existed to the other.  
The only time they would acknowledge the other's presence was when they argued. They fought over little things and minor mistakes. Temari and Kankuro were beginning to be worried for them.

One night when Gaara was particularly tired from all the extra work, another one of their childish fights broke off. At dinner. While Temari and Kankuro were there. And how the two wished they weren't.

"What the hell did I do wrong this time?" demanded Katana. She was tired of this routine. It was always like this. Gaara glared. "Perhaps you would know if you just _listened._" Katana's fists shook in rage. "How can anyone hear you talking when your voice is barely above a whisper, you nitwit?" Kankuro paled and sent Temari a look. They had never called each other names before.

"What was that?" hissed Gaara, his hand twitching.

"Look who's not listening now." She remarked sarcastically. He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.  
"You're a pathetic excuse for a shinobi." That was when things got more intense. Kankuro mentally face palmed. 'Oh shit, he crossed the line.'

"Oh, I'm pathetic?" Katana scoffed. "And what do you call yourself? Great? You're a worse jerk that I took you for!"

"Jerk? If you didn't bother me so much, I wouldn't even act this way towards you!" he shouted, something Temari and Kankuro hadn't seen in a very long time. The usually passive Gaara was getting pissed off at a girl's mistake?

"Bother you? I wasn't doing anything!" Katana shot up from her seat.

"Here you go again, acting all innocent!" Gaara rose abruptly as well. Temari stood up with them, raising her hands in their faces. "Sit down, both of you!" she ordered. Even though Gaara is the Kazekage and Katana is a deadly sword mistress, she didn't care anymore. They were acting far worse than any three-year old. Gaara glared again before sitting down. Katana, with an indignant huff turned away and took her seat.

They didn't seem to like the idea of Temari one bit, but they complied, more or less.

The wind mistress sighed. "Will you listen to yourselves?" she said in a softer tone. "You two are barely acting your ages."

"And your titles." Added Kankuro, standing up as well. "Is this how the Kazekage acts? What would the villagers say Gaara?" he asked. Gaara remained emotionless, but his older brother could see the embarrassment in his eyes.

He turned to Katana. "And you, what would Naruto say? I thought you were better than this, Katana." The girl looked down in shame. Temari sighed again. "Now, will you two forgive each other?" she offered.

As Katana was about to speak up, Gaara pushed back his chair and climbed upstairs. A groan escaped the older girl's mouth. "He's really stubborn at times, right Kankuro?" The boy nodded in agreement. Both of them turned to Katana, who became awfully quiet. Without a sound, she stood up and marched upstairs. Temari and Kankuro followed her with their eyes and even heard her slam the door.

"Really, Kankuro…" murmured Temari, piling the dirty plates and scraping off the unfinished meal, "I think it's time that we asked Gaara his reason why he's acting this way." Kankuro propped up his arms on top of the table. "I dunno, Tem. This isn't really one of their normal fights. You think we should butt in?" Temari opened her mouth, but closed it immediately, forgetting the things she wanted to say.

The sound of the water gushing out of the faucet was the only thing that answered Kankuro. Things were quiet for a while, that was until Temari exclaimed all of a sudden, making Kankuro almost fall out of his chair.

"I've got it!" The tone of her voice went several octaves higher and made Kankuro's ears ring. "Got what, Tem?" he asked curiously, regaining balance. Temari left the dishes and whispered to Kankuro her idea.

Inside her locked room, Katana sat on the middle of her bed, her weapons all around her. "What did I do this time…?" muttered Katana under her breath as she polished her sword. She ran the waxy rag up and down on the thin metal, ridding it of any stains. "All I've been trying to do was to please him…" Setting aside the cloth, she let her nimble fingers caress it, getting a nice smooth feeling under her skin. "So why does it always end in a mess?" This question was left unanswered in her head. Exhaling sadly, she gathered her kunai and put them in a pouch.

She trudged slowly towards her closet, taking out all her clothes and belongings, dumping them unceremoniously inside her bag. For the third time in her life, Katana was running away again. "Sorry Tsunade-sama", she sighed, sitting down again on the edge of her bed, "looks like I've failed a mission once again."

Something on her bedside caught her attention. It was a picture frame, with her and Gaara on it. Katana reached out and grasped the gold frame tightly and with her index finger, she traced out Gaara's figure. "What did I do wrong…Gaara?" When the night ended, Katana was all set and packed, ready to return to Konoha tomorrow morning.

* * *

The Next morning…

Temari went over her carefully chosen words again. She took a deep breath and let it out. 'I have to do this or else Gaara's chance will be gone forever.' She reminded herself. She knocked on the wood and became startled by the sudden opening of the door. Katana was staring right at her, carrying several packed bags. Instead of reciting her speech, Temari pointed at the bags.

"Katana, what's the meaning of this?" she asked.

Katana started to walk outside. "I'm going home." It took a minute for Temari to register her words and another minute to grab Katana's hand, run inside her room and bolt the door close. "Y-you can't go—pant, huff— yet. Nu uh." said Temari in panic, blocking the door defensively.

Katana blinked and sighed, her hand massaging her temple lightly. "Please Temari; I don't want my relationship with Gaara to be completely wrecked. My presence is clearly making him infuriated for some reasons. Maybe it's better if I just go back to Konoha." Katana pushed Temari gently, and turned the doorknob. "I'm sorry, Temari."

"Just—just hear me out, okay?" begged Temari. Katana halted and turned to stare into Temari's grayish green eyes in doubt. She wanted to run away from here, away from _him. _She didn't want to cause him more trouble than she already did. But a part of her, the insane, irrational little voice, told her to stay and listen to Temari.

Mentally beating herself up, she backed away from the door. "I'll give you five minutes." The grin in Temari's face couldn't have been any wider.

The conversation that was supposed to end after five minutes extended into an hour. What Temari had said baffled Katana even more.

_**Flashback:**_

_Three days before the fight…_

"_Hey Gaara?" inquired Temari. Her youngest brother didn't react in anyway that indicates that he heard her. She frowned. "Gaara."_

_With still no reaction, Temari walked over to his side and tapped him on the shoulder. Gaara looked up quickly, before turning his attention on his work again. "Is there something you need, Temari?" The blonde female stared at him as he continued signing. "Well, I kinda wanted to ask…" Hearing her hesitate, Gaara set down his pen and looked at her directly. "Yes?" he asked, motioning for her to continue._

"_I wanted to ask you why you—uh— always seem to…avoid Katana." As the certain name rolled off her mouth, she felt Gaara tensed. "W-what do you mean?" he croaked out, his calm demeanor cracking in the slightest. _

_She shrugged. "Like yesterday, when she just got out of the hospital, you were so cold to her. And unlike before, when she enters the room, you don't even acknowledge her." She pointed out. _

_He threw his head back and closed his tired eyes. "It's for her own good." He answered. _

_Temari raised an eyebrow at the reply. "What? How can that be for her good?" _

_He cracked open one eye. "I'll tell when this thing is over." She blinked dumbly. "What thing?" _

_Closing his eyes once more, he handed her the document he had been working on._

_As Temari read, he stated, "I won't let Katana be punished for what she didn't do…"_

_**End Flashback**_

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Katana let herself fall backwards on the bed with her hands covering her face. "If he's trying to protect me from something, then why is he doing this to me?"

Temari looked at the confused girl in sympathy. "I know it doesn't…" she admitted, "but it's true. All of what I said is true."

Katana sat up and seemed to be in deep thought. "Temari…" she called. Temari turned to her. "What was the document all about?" she asked. Temari bit her lip. "I can't tell you."

Katana clenched her teeth. "Then how am I supposed to talk to him about it?" Her fiery eyes bore a hole on Temari's forehead. "I don't even understand what he's talking about!"

"You just have to trust in yourself." The older one said. "Please, just give it a shot." She pleaded. Katana again was stuck in her thoughts. So many ideas came in and out of her mind.

She leaned forward, stray brown locks covering her face from Temari's view. Katana's mouth opened. "Alright…"

Wasting no time, she stood up and ran towards Gaara's office. _If what Temari said were true… then I still have a chance. _Her heart thundered uncontrollably in the confines of her chest, making her breathing irregular. _Calm down._ She felt as if she could faint from the nervousness anytime now. _Make it direct and quick. _She slowed her steps as she neared. _You can do it…_ She stared at the wooden door. _You have to…!_

Without bothering to knock, Katana bursted inside the room.

"Gaara, we need to—!" Grey eyes stared in horror. All remaining hope inside her crumbled down and her pulsing heart stopped dead. "…talk." She ended weakly.

Kazumi sat once again on the Kazekage's desk, her body facing Gaara. But now something was awfully wrong. Gaara's face and hers were close, their lips locked together in a kiss.

The kiss broke slowly, painfully, and Kazumi glared at her, as if she were an unwanted intruder. "What are you doing here?" she sneered. Katana didn't reply, but instead gave her all-out attention to Gaara, her eyes searching his.

"Perfect timing Katana." He said. "I wanted to tell you the news myself." He turned to Kazumi then back to her. "Kazumi here is going to be my new assistant."

Katana couldn't find her voice. The words were lodged in her throat. She was standing there like an idiot, like a lost child controlling herself from sobbing. "I suggest you go back home to Konoha as soon as possible for Kazumi will be occupying your room."

"W-why?" was all Katana can choke out. Gaara shrugged, as if her getting fired was everyday news. "You just weren't any use to me any more. You give me more trouble than help." It stabbed her, Gaara's words.

Katana felt like dying. Kazumi raised an eyebrow. "Well? Are you just gonna stand there all day?" she demanded. "Get going!" Katana stared at Gaara.

The intensity of her eyes faded into dullness. Her shocked expression turned neutral. She bowed, as stiff as a person can be. "Goodbye Gaara-sama." She spat the words out like vomit and turned her back on them.

Glancing back on Gaara for the last time, she saw Kazumi already flirting with him. "I hope you're happy with her…" It was a mere whisper, nothing but a tiny blow in the breeze but Gaara caught it.

Katana rushed to her room and snatched her bags. She didn't even bother to answer Temari or Kankuro when she stormed out of the mansion, running in lightning speed.

The villagers glanced at her, giving her dirty glares and colorful curses. She was outside Suna in just a flash and she continued running, not wanting to rest until she finally reaches Konoha. Every step she took stung her. It hurt more than all the injuries she had. The agony of it was something she had never encountered before.

Fat drops of water came showering down on her as she reached Konoha's borders. "Damn it!" she cursed her rotten luck. Every drop that hit her resembled Gaara's voice.

"_You just weren't any use to me any more." _She loathed it. She hated how it mocked her, repeating over and over again inside her head. "Quit it!" she yelled at no one. _"You hate it…don't you?" _It was that voice again. The one she dreamed of. _"You hate him…" _Katana slipped on a wet tree branch, causing her to fall to the hard ground. Sharp rocks cut her arms and legs, blood mixing with the muddy water. She cringed and wiped her sweaty face with her hand. _"He hurt you…He hurt you so bad…" _the voice moaned. "Sh-shut up…" Katana whispered; desperation clear in her tone.

"_Have your revenge…"_

"N-no…"

"_Kill him…"_

"No."

"_Kill__ him…!"_

"NO!" Katana sprung up and ran. She was cold, scared and hurt. Worst of all, she was utterly confused. What was happening to her? As her legs were about to give out in exhaustion, she noticed the Konoha gates, right in front of her. _Just a few more steps! _She told herself as she ran again. Too eager to finally reach her home, Katana tripped on a rock and collapsed, right in front of two familiar people.

"Katana?" Sakura kneeled down to her level to help up the dead beat tired kunoichi. Katana coughed, feeling the bruises and cuts that she previously ignored. She looked up at her friend. "Sa-Sakura?"

"K-Katana-c-chan?" She turned to the other person. "Hinata…"

* * *

At the Konoha Center…

Katana rested underneath the layers of white sheets, her hair covering her face. Naruto's face scrunched up. "Ne, Katana-chan?" he started, fidgeting in his seat. "Why are you a month early on coming home?" The pink-haired girl elbowed him and glared. He panicked. "I-I-I d-don't me-mean that in a b-bad way!" he stuttered. "I'm just curious." Both her teammates waited for her answer. She didn't reply to them and just kept her head low. Sakura gulped before asking. "Did…something bad happen in Suna?"

Again, no reply came from her. Determined to make his friend talk, Naruto took a deep breath and kept in mind that this might be the last thing he will ever say. Knowing Katana, she wouldn't hesitate to kill off anyone who triggers her temper.

"Is it Gaara?" She flinched and he prayed to Kami may she make his death quick and painless. "Yes…" the answer both shocked Naruto and Sakura. The overacting blond jumped off from his seat.

"What? Gaara? Did he hurt you?" He flailed his arms wildly and shook his fist at no one in particular.

"I'll show him! I'll show him! Gah!" Naruto tumbled over due to Sakura's punch. "Baka!" she shouted. "Stop being noisy at the hospital!" She glanced at Katana in evident concern. "What did he do to you?"

Katana raised her head in a slow manner. Her friends stared at her and noticed how her eyes changed.

Her once bright grey eyes shone proudly, like a true Yotsuki, as she would always say. But that moment, her orbs were the complete opposite. Katana's irises were the same color as ashes, fading and lifeless.  
There was no spark inside her and no hope remaining for tomorrow.

Sakura realized what was wrong with her friend. Katana was suffering right now the same thing she suffered three years ago. And she knew that it was a deep gash that she could never heal.

"He told me…" Katana stated like a statue, no clear emotion in her raspy voice, "that I wasn't of any use to him anymore…" Naruto couldn't believe his ears. "B-but he'd never say that to anyone!" he exclaimed. "He changed! He changed…right?" She turned to her side and rested her head on the pillow.

"Naruto…Sakura…Please leave me be."

"But Katana—" Naruto protested, but Sakura prevented him.

"I want to be alone." She added.

Sakura let Naruto out of the room and herself as well. For a minute, all Katana could hear was the deafening silence. But then her ears picked up the sound of her heart, shattering like fragile glass.

**End Chapter**


	21. Chapter 21 Back Home

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 21: Back home

After a week…

As soon as the light went up the mountains and shone down on the village, the people of Konoha started their daily activities. When Katana walked down on the streets of Konoha, all eyes stared at her. Instead of judgmental looks, glares or malicious whispers, pleasantly surprised smiles were plastered on their faces. Nods of acknowledgement were sent on her direction. Children waved at her. "Katana-nee-chan!" they called. Relief and confidence washed over her face. Indeed, she was home again.

"WOAHHHH! That's how you do it!"

Naruto's voice could be heard a mile away from Ichiraku. Laughing to herself, Katana sped off to their location. From a distance, she caught the sight of Sakura grabbing Konohamaru by his collar, Naruto, Kakashi and Sai watching them.  
All of a sudden, Konohamaru did a hand seal and smoke erupted with an audibly 'poof'. "Oiroke— Guy on Guy no Jutsu!"

_Guy on Guy…? That can't be good. _Thought Katana nervously.

"That's MORE like it!" screeched Sakura.

Katana walked even closer and squinted as the smoke went away. She regretted the action later on. A "Sasuke" bunshin was on top of "Sai" in a compromising position. Worst of all, they were…

_Kami, I did not need to see that! _With her face faintly turning pink, Katana jerked her head away from the naked view. Sakura on the other hand, had a big goofy grin and blood trickling down her nose. Naruto and Kakashi had a look that perfectly screamed nightmare.

"Oh…It's me and Sasuke-kun." Stated Sai innocently. Trying hard not to vomit out his breakfast, Naruto dashed and quickly thumped the younger boy on the head, thus undoing the jutsu. "Don't do something that nasty!" he reprimanded. When Katana was sure the show was gone, she faced them. "Hey." She greeted, waving slightly.

They turned to her, all smiles. "Katana-chan, you're all better now!" cheered Naruto. She beamed. "Yeah. All I needed was rest." Looking at them again, she saw Kakashi's single eye softened. 'Are you okay?'

_They told Kakashi-sensei…_

Wanting to escape the unspoken question, Katana hurriedly pointed at Sakura's nose. "You're having a massive nosebleed!" she blurted out. The guys fell for it and snapped their attentions to the short-haired girl.

"W-what? N-no! Of- Of course not! It's not l-like I en-j-joyed it!" she protested guiltily, wiping any traces of the crimson liquid on her face. They raised their eyebrows and gave her a flat look. Meanwhile, Konohamaru studied Katana intently.

"Yes?" asked Katana, noticing Konohamaru stare at her. He smirked wickedly. "I have something you'll like Katana-nee-chan!" He positioned his hands on a seal. She blanched and frowned. "Konohamaru, what are you—"

"Oiroke— Suna style no jutsu!"

"Poof!"

Half-lidded, ringed sea foam colored eyes regarded her. Rusty red hair swayed with the wind. Konohamaru transformed into Gaara. Anger flashed in her eyes for a moment and she restrained her hand from grabbing her sword. Then she looked down and forgot that "Gaara" was stark naked. "Ah!" Blushing furiously, she tripped and fell backwards, ending up sitting on the ground.

The "Gaara's" smirked grew wider. "So…you like it like this, ne? Katana-chan…" _That brat even managed to copy his deep voice!_ She gulped. "Konohamaru! Release that jutsu at once!" Her demanding tone didn't prevail. Katana backed away inch by inch as "Gaara" stepped closer to her. "It's alright, Katana-chan…" he cooed again. "I'll be gentle…" He stooped down and tilted her chin. "Y-you…" stuttered Katana. She closed her fist and rammed it on the henge's face. Konohamaru turned back into his old form. She stood up indignantly, the red taint still on her face.

"BAKA!" she yelled. Her team watched in amusement as she reprimanded the genin. When her incredibly long speech about morals and respect was done, she reminded Konohamaru for the last time. "If I catch you doing those jutsu again, I will personally hang you upside down for a whole day, got that?" The frightened beginner nodded and sprinted away. She shook her head.

"Can't stand a kid's jutsu?" teased Naruto. Katana narrowed her eyes at him. After seeing Konohamaru's little stunt, she wasn't in the mood for anymore jokes. "Actually, I wanted to train with you guys." Sakura frowned and fixed a stern look. "You just got out of the hospital yesterday." She told her. "I don't think it's such a good idea to—"

"I need to train." Countered Katana. "You guys said it yourselves, the Akatsuki are making their moves. I don't have time to slouch around." Sakura sighed in defeat and began to follow Katana to the training grounds. "Besides", added Katana, "I won't let some minor scratches stop me."

* * *

Hazel strands of hair flowed with the wind as a certain kunoichi slashed and swiped with her sword, cutting smoothly through the air. "Hiyaa!" Every twist and turn of her body was thoroughly calculated. Eyebrows were creased in concentration. She glided; her movements graceful and deadly, dancing together with nature. Her friends left earlier to meet the Hokage. So she stayed there and trained by herself.

Wiping the sweat off her eyebrows, Katana decided to take a short break and cross-legged sat on the patches of grass. Taking a lungful of fresh air, she remembered just how much she missed Konoha. The familiar faces of the villagers, the cool breezes and its luscious green grass. She closed her eyes shut and drifted off into peaceful meditation.

'Drip-drip-drip…' She was inside of the dark cave again. Katana turned in circles, finding a way to escape. There was neither an exit nor an entrance. So how did she manage to enter the void? _"Here to visit me…? How nice of you…" _A feeling of dread came to her when she heard the voice behind her back. Her breathing became erratic, arms and feet twitching in anxiety. _No. Not again!_

"W-who are you? Why do I always end up in this place?" An annoyed little 'hmph' came from the latter. _"I told you who I am. There's no need to repeat myself. As for the place…" _Katana could practically hear her smirking. _"You're inside your own mind."_ Katana turned and stared at an exact replica of her. Same clothes, same hair and same appearance. Their only differences were the attitude and their eyes, for the copy had a pair of shiny black orbs.

Katana kept her face straight, occasionally fidgeting in her spot. "I haven't seen you in my dreams before… Where is Tamiko? You said she was some kind of bridge. Where is she? I want to talk to her." The other 'her' smirked like how a beast would.

"_You can't talk to a dead person, dear." _Katana's eyes widened. "W-what? Ta-Tamiko…She's..?"

"_Dead, gone, lifeless. In other words, she's rotting in hell right now." _She chuckled as Katana tried to overcome her shock. "How?" asked Katana. A cold hand was brought down on her shoulder. _"There, there. No need to mourn for her. Don't tell me you weren't wishing for it to happen?"_ Katana opened her mouth only to close it again. She was lost for words. Obsidian orbs dared her to answer no. Instead of replying to the rhetorical question, Katana asked the one thing that was always bothering her. "How can you be with me ever since, when I've only noticed you until now?"

Pounding echoed inside the cavern, making both of them look up. "Katana-chan, wake up!" She heard Naruto yell outside. The girl with black eyes winked. "Your annoying friend is calling you. Sayonara!" Everything vanished into dust and Katana opened her eyes groggily. Two figures were near her, the yellow one shaking the living daylights out of her. "Katana-chan! Katana-chhhaaannnn!" he whined impatiently, still shaking her.

"Are you tryin'to kill me?" mumbled Katana, the motion making her dizzier. Startled, Naruto let go of Katana. With absolutely no supports, the sword mistress fell on her back.

Katana sat up, glaring death itself at the nitwit…who also happened to be her friend. "Oops." He said with a nervous smile. She groaned. "What is it that you wanted to tell me Naruto?"

There was no need to ask, for Naruto and Sakura blurted words to her all at once. Her ears picked up two words. Sasuke and Orochimaru. They stopped, struggling with evening their breaths. Katana blinked once. Twice. "What?" she asked in utter confusion. Naruto dropped his jaw incredulously and Sakura face palmed. "What 'what?'?" exclaimed Naruto, being oh-so-ever noisy. "You mean after all the effort we've put into saying that, you—"

"Didn't understand a single syllable out of it." Katana finished for him. A snicker came from above the three. They looked up to see their masked sensei looking down from the tree branch at their childish antics.

"Ne, Tou-san, how long have you been watching us?" complained Katana. She could see his smile from behind the dark cloth covering most of his face. "Long enough to catch the rare sight of you tumbling down ungracefully." He teased and jumped down. He walked towards them.

"Orochimaru is dead. Sasuke killed him." Katana's expression darkened. "Sasuke…killed Orochimaru?" She received three nods for an answer. She lowered her head as another breeze passed. "What the hell happened to him…?" _What the hell have I done…?_ A low sigh escaped her. Kakashi focused on Katana. He knew well that when the Sasuke topic was brought up, she immediately goes to blaming herself. But today, she seems a little too sullen, like there were other things that bothered her…

"Naruto, Sakura…why don't you two go out for ramen?" offered Kakashi. "Just the two of us?" asked Sakura. Their sensei nodded. "Like a date?" Naruto grinned impishly while Sakura grimaced. She turned her back on him and stomped hard towards the restaurant. "Fine. But it's your treat, Naruto!"

Naruto pouted. "Bu-but, Sakura-chan!" The blonde boy ran along with her. Watching as his two other students bickered with each other, he sat down on the patch of grass beside Katana. They sat in complete silence, until Kakashi broke it. "What happened?" It was a simple question, something that people can easily lie to. Katana didn't answer at first and chose to move closer to her foster father.

"I hate him…" muttered Katana under her breath. Kakashi's eyebrow rose at her statement. He didn't bother asking who this person was. He knew all too well who she meant. "What did he do?"

"…I freaking hate him." The reply didn't fit for an answer to the question, but it was all Kakashi needed to hear to drape a comforting arm around her. She sat stiff and stubborn, refusing to bawl out her problems to him and cry out like a hopeless teenage girl. No matter what, when or where, she always showed everyone that she was a shinobi. The corners of Kakashi's lips twitch slightly in amusement. She was truly the daughter of the 4th Raikage. Proud and fearless like him.

"I'm proud of you." He said it with ease out of the blue, making Katana snap up her head in surprise. "Eh?" Realization of what he said dawned to her and she smiled softly, forgetting her problems at hand. She chuckled. "That's silly, Tou-san." She said and leaned against him like a pillow. He gasped in mock hurt. "That's just mean, Katana." She laughed again, her body rumbling as she did. This time, he laughed along with her. He brushed away a stray lock on her forehead. "Thank you, Tou-san..." she whispered. Silence dawned onto them again, but this time it was comfortable. Kakashi wished they had more chances to spend time like this. No worries, no responsibilities or duties...And speaking of duties...

"Oh, and by the way…Tsunade-sama asked for your presence… one hour ago." She faced him, mouth agape. "Tou-san!" she protested, glaring at him before teleporting herself to the Tower and left him guffawing. _Shoot, Tsunade-sama's gonna kill me! _In panic, she sprinted across the hallways and towards the office.

* * *

"Tsunade—huff, huff—sama! Y-you called—huff— for me?" She asked aloud from outside in between pants. An annoyed grumble answered her. "I called for you an hour ago!" barked Tsunade. Katana cringed. Then, she heard Tsunade sigh. "But I suppose it's not entirely your fault. Come in." she ordered, muttering under her breath Kakashi's name.

_Whew._ Thought Katana in relief and opened the door. She bowed down before she could even glimpse at the Hokage. "My apologies, Tsunade-sama." The blonde woman waved it away. "Never mind it." she said. "Somebody asked for your company." Katana raised her head. "Somebody? Who—" Blood drained from Katana's face as she met the person whom Tsunade mentioned. She balled her fists tightly, her knuckles slowly turning white.  
"Hello, Katana." Gaara greeted, sitting beside Tsunade. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him and became stormy with rage. _The bastard…!_

"Why are you here?" she hissed through clenched teeth. The fact that this person she was addressing was a Kage and that she was disrespecting him in front of her leader didn't matter to her anymore. Katana lost her cool the moment she saw him.  
How dare he show up after telling her all those things! Gaara stood up calmly, unaffected by her glares. "I am here to talk to you."

"There is _nothing_ to talk about." She seethed, turning sharply on her heels and storming off. "Katana!" called out the sand wielder, but she was already out of earshot. He sighed dejectedly and ran a hand to comb his wild brick red locks. Tsunade cleared her throat, earning the youngest Kazekage's attention. She raised an eyebrow.

"That's it? That's all you can do?" she inquired in a coaxing tone. He stared at her, eyes widening a bit. "Are you suggesting that I run after her?" he asked bluntly. She shrugged. Taking a gulp out of her bottle of sake, Tsunade motioned for the door. "Go get her. Unlike other girls, you gotta chase this one." Even before she could finish talking, Gaara was out of the door, hot on Katana's heels. Tsunade snorted humorously before sipping sake again. "Ah, young love…" she sighed.

Katana paced briskly, muttering colorful words under her breath. She was trying to calm down and hearing Gaara call her name repeatedly DOES NOT help. "Katana, stop at once." He ordered. This time, she complied, stopping on her tracks unexpectedly, Gaara almost bumped into her. "Katana…"

"What?" she snapped, her head jerking towards him, eyes tearing him into shreds.

"We need to ta-"

"No, we don't!" cut in Katana. "First, you ignore me, you get mad at me for no reason at all, you sent me back here and now YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME?" Her rant was cut short into pants and huffs.

Hesitantly, he reached out and brought his hand gently down her on shoulder, hoping it would sooth her. "I…I need to explain." He said. Gaara could feel her lower her guard down. He almost smiled. Almost. The thought of smiling escaped his mind the instant he felt her fist jab into his gut. He winced. Doubling over in pain as he clutched his stomach, Gaara fell in front of Katana. It was ironic how his sand, the thing that blocked and saved him from the most powerful attacks, had actually let her punch him. "Touch me again and I'll gut you alive." The threat was icy and steel hard, making him shudder on mere thought of it.

No one dared to ask what happened to the fuming girl who trudged down the streets. Her aura was literally murderous, still mumbling threats incoherently. No one also dared to ask why the Kazekage was following her like a lost puppy. He didn't say anything and kept a safe distance between him and the angry female. Katana looked over her shoulder and glared daggers at him. "What are you doing?" she scoffed.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm walking." He stated the most obvious thing. A vein popped out of her temple. "No, you're not just 'walking'. You're following me!" she snarled. He sent her an innocent and confused look. "I'm not." An aggravated growl emitted from Katana's mouth. Not wanting to see his face anymore, she dashed to the training grounds.

* * *

Team 8, Team 10 and team Gai were having their usual warm-ups when they heard two voices interrupting the peaceful silence.

"Stop following me, you jerk!" Lee stopped halfway on his 499th push-up and blinked. He turned to Neji. "Hey wasn't that—"

"I'm not following you." Droned out a deep male voice. Kiba sniffed the air around them. "Oi…It's Katana-chan and Kazekage-sama." He informed them and pointed two figures arguing on an opening clearing. Soon, all of them stopped their training and watched as the two fight.

Katana planted her hands on her hips. "If you're not following me, then why are you still here?" she demanded. He crossed his arms and replied. "I just happen to be going in the same place you were." Katana's temper flared even more. He was down right infuriating. Katana's hands itched to take out her sword. She turned her back on him and began to walk away.

"Katana." He called out for the umpteenth time this day. She didn't stop or turn to him. She just kept walking and walking and walking until…

"I challenge you in a taijutsu match." She halted. Everyone's eyes widened. "Oh boy…" muttered Tenten.

"He didn't just—" Ino started.

"C-challenge h-her, d-did he?" continued Hinata worriedly. Shikamaru let out a long sigh. "This is gonna be so troublesome."

Katana faced him, a wry smile on her face. "A taijutsu match?" she inquired just to make sure. Gaara nodded carefully. "Both of us are to use hand-to-hand combat only. No weapons, no jutsu or anything else. The battle continues on and on. The first person to forfeit or go beyond the training grounds loses." He'll end up dying, he knew. But he just had to give his plan a worthy shot. Her smile never ceased. "Name your price."

He took a deep breath. "If I win, you will have to go out with me." He was sure his face was about the color of his hair. Katana looked unfazed tough. "Alright. But if I win, you'll promise to never show your face to me again, unless it's for business." This time, it stabbed him, Katana's words. Nonetheless, Gaara nodded and offered his hand.

They shook on it. "Deal."

**End Chapter**


	22. Chapter 22 Fight!

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 22: Fight!

_**Flashback:**_

"_A taijutsu match?"_

"_Yes. No jutsu, no weapons or any other. Just hand-to-hand combat. If I win…you will have to go out with me."_

_Katana remained unfazed. "Alright. But if I win, never show your face again to me, unless it means business."_

_They shook on it. "Deal."_

_**End Flashback**_

"C-come on guys!" A nervous chuckle escaped Naruto.

Sweat poured down his face nervously. One minute, he was walking beside Sakura-chan, feeling so giddy from their little 'date' and the next thing he knew, Shikamaru and the others were calling him for help.

Being the 'nice guy' he was, he dashed towards them, not knowing what could possibly be the problem. So here he is right now, in the middle of his two friends, desperately pleading them to stop the fight.

He glanced at both of them hopefully. Katana paid him no attention as she did a battle stance. "Get out of the way, Naruto." It wasn't a request, but more of an order. Her voice held no amusement. He gulped.

"W-we're all friends, right? Come on! This is silly!" He persuaded them again. Sand wrapped around his torso and pushed him back. Naruto panicked. "G-Gaara! You can't be serious!" The redhead spared him a last glance before facing his opponent. "Naruto, I'm sorry but…move out of the way." Gaara positioned his left foot forward, arms on guard in front. They were indeed serious. Left with no choice, the blond jinchuuriki joined the rest of their friends at the side.

"Well?" asked Chouji.

Hearing Naruto's dejected sigh as he went closer, their faces fell. "Sorry, I couldn't stop them." apologized Naruto when he saw their disappointment.

"It's not like they'd listen to anyone anyway." It was Temari who spoke. "Believe me, I've tried a lot of times and failed."

"Oi, woman, isn't protecting your brother your job?" asked Shikamaru. The wind mistress rolled her eyes at him. "Just as I said, _crybaby_. They won't listen to anyone anyway." A hush stopped their argument and made them turn. The fight has begun.

_You'll be sorry for this, Gaara…_Katana sent the first punch at Gaara's face, to which he barely dodged. He jumped back and caught Katana's foot just in time. Using his hold as leverage, Katana swung her other foot towards his head.

He blocked and crossed her legs. She spun, flowing with the movement and thrust her fist up on him again. Gaara ducked and let go of her. Landing well on her feet, Katana blew away a strand of hair that covered her vision. She noticed his heavy breathing.

"Tired already?" she mocked. "I'll end this quick for you then."

Everyone knew how Gaara's stamina was easily depleted, therefore leading to dislike strenuous activities like close combat.

So, it quite baffled them why he would propose such a stupid thing.

Katana disappeared from Gaara's line of sight. His eyes widened for a second then narrowed. He scanned his surroundings and focused on finding her chakra. He found it with ease.

But unfortunately, it was charging from behind him. He jerked around and ducked again, Katana's foot missing its target.

"Damn it!" Katana's attacks continued pursuing Gaara, until she realized she was the only one attacking. She leapt backwards and the two of them evened their irregular breaths.

"Why aren't you attacking me?" she demanded angrily. Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow in amusement or smugness of some sort. While Gaara thought of an answer, Katana wasted no time waiting for him and attacked again. He just dodged, ducked and sidestepped, like playing tag with a child.

Katana growled. "What are you, a coward?" She aimed at him again and missed big time. She struggled with keeping her focus, but her emotions got in the way. She remembered the feeling…remembered how it hurt her.

A frustrated yell came from her mouth as she failed to land another attack on him. "Man up and hit me!"

While Katana charged for his front, he sidestepped and leaned in, their faces inches apart. In alarm, Katana pulled back and lost her balance. She tumbled backwards, gasping for air. "W-What the hell was that for?"

"What happened?" asked Ino, squinting. "He didn't hit her, did he?"

"No…" replied Shino so suddenly, it startled all of them. "T-then…w-why d-did Ka-katana-chan f-fall?" pointed out Hinata curiously.

Gaara bent down a bit and reached out his hand to help her up. "Are you okay?" She swatted his hand away and stood up. For the second time she asked, "Why won't you fight back?"

Gaara stood up as well and gazed at her. "I don't want you to be hurt." It took some time before the answer was registered by Katana, but her reaction wasn't good. Fury sent her expression ablaze. "You don't want me… to be hurt?"

_You just weren't…any use to me anymore…_

_You bring more trouble…than help._

_Just not...any use…_

She charged, losing control of herself. "Fraud! You're nothing but a liar!" Her speed doubled with every punch or kick she sent, giving Gaara a hard time dodging each one.

"Cocky Bastard!" screamed Katana, aiming a punch. This time, it landed hard on Gaara's ribs, throwing him off balance. "Don't think you can toy with me!" Katana didn't wait for him to recover and rained him down on every attack that she can land on.

"I am not some kind of weak", A punch on his stomach, "pathetic girl!"

"So stop…!" Another blow on his cheek.

"Treating me…!" A kick.

"Like one!" shouted Katana furiously.

* * *

Temari was growing anxious and worried as she watched Katana beat up her brother into a pulp. "Why won't he defend himself?" she croaked out. The brunette's friends were in slight panic as well.

Shikamaru paled. "Crap. I think his death wish just came true."

"She's losing it…" muttered Kiba.

"Hn."

"Damn it, if they listened to me in the first place, then this wouldn't ha—"

"Shut up, Naruto! None of that could change this now!"

"Don't you think we should stop them before it gets worse?"

"I agree. Violence simply does not solve anything."

"B-but, h-how d-do we s-stop t-them?"

* * *

"I hate you!" There was absolutely no hatred in the way she said it, unlike other people who treated him with disgust before. Gaara caught her eyes in a glimpse.

Anger, frustration, annoyance and pain mixed together but no hatred. Somehow…although his body hurt, he felt relief washing over him.

With another raged roar, Katana sent a blow to Gaara's direction. To her surprise, he fell forward and groaned in pain. She stared at the sight of him lying on the ground.

A slow triumphant smile took over her. She pointed at finger at him. "Hah! That's right, SUCKER!" Her heart raced. Revenge felt good on her hands…but not for long.

Another pained groan was heard from Gaara. She started to worry when Gaara still didn't get up after a moment. He didn't try to sit, stand, roll over or even flinch. She stared at him. "Oi, Gaara. The battle is still not over. Get up."

No reaction.

Gulping hard, she went closer. "Tch. What the hell are you doing? Stand!" She tried faking anger in her voice, hoping it would coax him into standing up. Again, he didn't. Her eyes widened in horror. _What have I done to him?_

"Gaara? Gaara! This isn't funny!" Her voice cracked. "Baka! S-Stand!" Falling on her knees, she took hold of his body and rolled him to his back. His cheeks were bruised and battered. "G-Gaara?" she whispered helplessly.

Black eye lids flickered weakly and look at her in an unsteady gaze. "W-what are you doing?" he asked in a raspy voice. She didn't understand what he meant at first. "I'm…s-still not giving up…so why did you stop attacking?" She realized what he was trying to say. He wanted her to beat him up. To take out her anger on him. Eyebrows furrowing, she barked at him. "Are you insane? I will not fight a person who is not even standing on his own feet. Now get up!"

"…" He fell silent.

All of a sudden his body racked so suddenly and blood sputtered out of his mouth. "Gaara!" Came Katana's worried gasp.

"I'm f-fine."

"No you're not!"

Beads of tears welled up on the corners of her eyes. "You call this fine? How dare you lie to me in your current state, you jerk!" Stubbornly, she helped him up. While supporting his weight, she shifted and did a hand seal, teleporting them to her apartment. Their friends blinked in bewilderment as they suddenly disappeared.

* * *

Katana stumbled left and right as she tried to support a heavy, leaning Gaara. "Seriously, how on earth did you manage to be a Kazekage when you can't even take a good beating?" she grunted.

"…I had my sand."

She turned to him and sighed. "Good point."

Successfully opening the door to her room, she barged inside and laid him down on her bed, relieving her shoulders of his weight.

She sat down on the edge of her bed, inspecting his face for anymore injuries. "Dummy, why didn't you dodge?"

She leaned in for a closer look and pressed a hand on his chest. He let out a muffled cry of pain. Katana retracted her hand hurriedly.

"Where does it hurt?"

"…Everywhere…"

"Excuse me?" Katana gaped at him, eyes wide. She undid the straps of his vest and bit her lower lip at the sight. He was full of bruises, red spots readily turning purple. Katana hastily put her hands above his injuries and they began to glow. "Didn't you even try to dodge?" she demanded. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Gaara stared at the nimble fingers that skimmed over his skin, mesmerized. He shifted his gazed to her face. She was once again so sullen…full of regret and pain. He grimaced mentally. It wasn't her fault. Nothing of this was her fault!

'And yet she blames herself for all that happened…' Gaara thought.

"…Gaara?" Her whisper made him snap out of his trance. "What was written in that document?" He tilted his head to the side, confused.

"What document?"

Katana took a deep breath, concentrating her chakra on a particularly sore spot. "Temari told me something…back in Suna. She told me…that you had been working on this document…because you didn't want me to pay for I didn't do…"

With those key words, Gaara recognized the document that she spoke of. His expression grew dim. "Oh…"

"What was it about?"

"They wanted to put you to jail…"

She fell silent. "The elders pointed out the damage you did to Suna and found it suitable for you to be thrown into prison. I…didn't want that to happen… So I asked them to give me enough time to find evidence that will prove your innocence in that case…"

Still no words came out from her.

"I found out that Kazumi had something to do with it…Even though I didn't want to…I distanced myself from you to get her close enough for us to keep an eye on her movements. After you…went home, we found out that she was illegally using Suna's rare collection of poisons and antidotes for her own good."

"What happened to her? Is she…alright?" Gaara was taken aback by her question. After what Kazumi did to her, she still managed to ask him about her well-being.

"She's currently under the care of ANBU while waiting for her trial." He hesitated, contemplating on what his next words should be. "Katana, I…I'm sorry…"

Katana's hands clenched and the glow of chakra died down.

"I hate you …"

"What?"

Her head snapped up. She was in the brink of tears. "Do you know how much it hurts?" she all but yelled her calm demeanor crumbling down in front of him.

"Do you know how much it hurts to think that I'll lose you for the second time?"

"Do you know how much it hurts me when you and I fight? How much it hurts when you act like you don't know me?" Gaara was speechless.

"I hate how you make me feel so weak. I hate how you make me feel so nervous. I hate how you can make me feel so damn pathetic... I hate how you can make me cry like this! I just hate you!" she screamed, clutching her head helplessly.

Bitter tears traveled down her cheeks as she sobbed. And all Gaara could do was watch as the strong, confident Katana break down. Guilt and pain squeezed the life out of him and his aching heart. He hated seeing her like this…especially if the cause was he himself. "Katana…I never wanted to make you cry…And I never thought of you as weak." He explained, struggling to keep talking. "I just wanted you… to be safe." He choked out. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Gaara lowered his head in shame, his crimson locks falling over his forehead.

"…But most of all" he heard her whisper, in a softer and much more caring tone this time that it made him look up, "I hate…how you can hurt me so much…yet I can't bear to stay angry at you…" She met his eyes and smiled.

"I hate how I don't care about anything anymore…because I am so damn in love with you, Gaara."

His teal orbs widened. No one…had ever said that to him. Yes, she said it, a long time ago…But it just didn't feel the same way. Perhaps, she loved him as a friend. But right now when she had said it…It was just…perfect.

All worries and troubles escaped Gaara. He felt so lightheaded. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her to him and pulled her into a sweet embrace. She hugged him back tightly, relishing the rare moment they had.

"I love you too…" Gaara whispered, his breath leaving a tingling feeling in her ear. He reached out and wiped away the wetness in her face. "And I swear…I'll never do anything to hurt you ever again." Katana smiled weakly. Even though her eyes were still puffy from crying, Gaara found himself muttering the word 'beautiful' under his breath.

Katana snorted humorously. "Beautiful? Really?" A peck in the lips shut her up. She blushed a violent shade of red. "Very…" he said lowly, his deep voice sending chills down her spine.

Their faces inches closer. Katana could feel her face burning and she was pretty sure that there was a smirk in Gaara's face. Huffing in annoyance at his smugness, she closed the gap between them. Startled, Gaara fell on his back and onto the bed. After seconds of realization, he smiled and kissed back.

"Oh, I just remembered…" he said, breaking the kiss, "I have to attend a council meeting." Katana pouted in disappointment. He chuckled. "Don't worry; I'll still see you later for our date." He said, wearing his vest.

She followed him out of the room. "What date?"

He opened the door and turned to her before leaving. "You lost, so you're going out with me."

She blinked at him. "Lost? I did no—Oh…" A frown took its place on her expression.

He smirked. "I'll meet you later." Doing a hand seal, he vanished like dust in the air. She closed the door softly and a beam replaced the frown. _Losing isn't as bad as it sounds…_ she thought and went to the kitchen to fix herself a snack.

**End Chapter**

Pretty dramatic chapter, huh? Well, it ended well, I guess. I hope you guys enjoy it and please keep up the reviews!

~KatanaSabaku


	23. Chapter 23 Nightmare came true

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 23: Nightmare came true

Smoke sent the girl into a mad coughing fit as she traveled past the pile of debris and rubble. Where was she? Katana could see well the corpses, burned down houses, and blood that littered all over the ground. "What's happening?" she asked at no one, standing frozen in the middle of wreckage. People, old and young, ran in circles, desperately calling for help. Katana wanted to help them, but for some reasons, she couldn't move a finger. "Where am I?" Katana lowered her head, her eyes squinting in focus at a dead person. Something was wrong and she knew. She scanned his body—which was full of cuts and stabs, his familiar attire and finally, her eyes widened as she saw the image of a leaf in his headband. She was in Konoha. Katana's knees buckled as her mind tried to get over the shock. "This…This can't be real…!" Katana convinced herself that this was just a dream. A horrible nightmare. It was hard to put the idea in her head, for everything felt sickeningly real.

"_Don't sound so surprised, darling…"_ cackled someone darkly. Having a distinctive ring in her ears, Katana recognized the voice quickly. In rage, she whirled around to face her double. "What is this?" She roared, angrily jabbing a finger to point at the horrendous scene before her. She had never sounded so furious, let alone so troubled and afraid before… "All these dead people…" she seethed, "They were civilians! They were innocent! What the hell have you done?" Katana's ash colored eyes flashed gold for a moment.

The Katana with the black eyes looked at her in mock offense. _"Me? Darling, I assure you, I did nothing."_ Katana knew there was a possibility that it was true, but right now, she needed someone to blame. The other person smiled wryly. _"I'm not the one who did this…you did."_

Katana glared death itself at her, her hand on the hilt of the weapon. "Don't play coy with me…" she hissed. The other one remained unaffected and pushed Katana further. _"Don't lie to yourself, dearie… You know you were responsible for this."_

"I never did anything, and I certainly wouldn't do this." said Katana, her tone clearly accusing the other one in front of her.

"_Never did anything?"_ sneered her double. _"Why don't you ask them then?"_ Katana followed the direction her look alike motioned and her eyes widened. Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto stood there, barely ten feet away from her. She rushed to them, completely forgetting about her look alike.

"Kakashi-sensei!" She called out and ran to crush him in a hug. After drawing back, her hands were placed on his face, searching for any injuries. "Kakashi-sensei… what's going on? What happened?" She looked up to meet his lone eye staring coldly at her. Her temporary relief faded away into worry. "Kakashi-sensei?...Tou-san…?" He pushed her away slowly but firmly looking betrayed. "I never thought you would do this, Katana." He rasped.

Katana's hands shook in dread. "Tou-san, what are you—"

"Don't act like you don't know!" he growled harshly, Katana flinched. "You…You betrayed us all." His voice was steely, nothing like the warm soothing tone Katana knew of.

She opened her mouth to speak, desperate to explain and hear an explanation in return, but Sakura cut her off. "First, Sasuke-kun and now this? I thought you were our friend, Katana!" Tears flowed down on the rosy, angered cheeks of her pinkette friend.

Katana felt helpless and completely vulnerable. "Sakura", she choked out, "I am your friend!" She tried getting closer to them again and reached out her hand. Naruto grabbed her wrist and shoved her off. "Never show your face to us again…You're even worse than Sasuke." he spat, bright sapphire eyes forming a narrow slit.

Katana was lost for words. People gathered around her, enclosing her in the middle. Everyone was staring at her right now. Everyone glared at her. Their mouths formed angry sneers. They looked down on her with hatred like people used to.

"You destroyed your own home!"

"Traitor!"

"You're a monster!"

"You don't belong here!"

"Freak!"

Every insult felt like a knife stabbing her as intense emotions surged inside Katana, her chest threatening to squeeze the life out of her.

It was just like…before.

_**Flashback:**_

_Icy glares were sent to her direction. Katana lowered __her head, hands shaking in pain._

"_Look…It's that cursed child." Murmured a woman to one of her friends. Katana gritted her teeth as she fought down her tears. A shove made her stumble down on the path. Now covered in dirt and grime, Katana looked up to see a girl about her age, sneering at her._

"_You're a monster!"_

"_Yeah! A monster!" jeered the other kids as well. Katana stood up and brushed her clothes. She ignored them and walked away like nothing happened. But the girl wasn't done yet._

_Katana felt a sharp yank on her hair that pulled her back. "Ow!" she winced. The bully gripped even harder.__ "A freak like you doesn't deserve to live!" She shouted indignantly before sending Katana to drop on her knees. She and the other kids laughed and pointed at her while their parents did nothing to stop them. They only stared at her, as if she deserved to be treated like that._

_**End Flashback**_

"I… I didn't do it!" Katana tried explaining at the crowd of people, but was drowned down by their shouts. It was happening again. No matter what she did or said, they refused to accept her. "It's not…my fault…" she ended weakly, dropping down. One by one, the people disappeared from her sight, including Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi.

Baffled, she looked around, her eyes searching for someone…anyone.

"K-katana…" Hope flickered inside her. _That voice…_

She turned around and saw a red figure coming closer. He was there! Finally, there was someone who could understand her. But something was wrong with the way he walked. He was slow, too slow, and he clutched his stomach like he was injured. And then, he fell on the ground. "Gaara!" she yelled in panic, running towards his body. She kneeled down beside him and took his face on her hands. "Gaara, what happened?" she asked shakily. He coughed violently, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. He fixed his gaze on her, teal eyes fading. "Why…Katana?" His question was something she couldn't understand. He closed his eyes and went limp on her. "Gaara! No!" She cried out desperately and hugged his lifeless body against her.

"_You still don't get it, do you?"_ Katana's double kneeled beside her. "You!" screamed Katana, "This is your fault!" Black, merciless eyes bore into her ash grey ones. "I didn't do it. It was you…You killed him." She stated.

Once again, Katana refused to believe her. "I didn't! I…I couldn't…"

The other one grinned sadistically as she bent over to whisper in her ear.

"…_Murderer…"_

Katana's eyes snapped open with a crazed and horrified look. As her chest contracted, she heaved an unsteady breath. She sat still on her bed, tangled in sheets that were cold with sweat. Horrifying scenes of her dream came rushing back on her, making her feel sick and feeble.  
She closed her tired and bloodshot eyes. "It's was just a dream. Just a _dream_." She said aloud, trying to reassure herself. It was working quite well, until…

"Gosh, chill out." Katana's shut lids flicked open and she froze. A woman sat on a chair in a relaxing position, far off on a dark corner.  
But Katana's shinobi trained eyes allowed her to see the smirk on the woman's face or better yet, _her_ smirk on the woman's face. A cold feeling of dread came to Katana again, the tiny rays of sun that seeped through her window revealed her pallor.

The smirk even became wider when the clone-like person saw her expression. "Wondering why I'm here?" she asked, as if reading Katana's own thoughts. She stood up and Katana mentally screamed in question to why she sat there, still doing nothing but stare like an idiot.

"You look pretty tired." Commented the latter in mock concern. "Why don't you go get some sleep while I stroll 'round town? Bye…" Katana watched as her mirror image winked and disappeared in her teleporting jutsu. She sat there mouth agape. "She escaped…" The statement was obvious, but Katana made little sense of it. Slowly comprehending her situation, she scrambled out of bed, swearing in chains as she dressed and grabbed the sheathed blade. "She escaped!" Readily reaching for the doorknob, Katana heard a sizzling sound and came face to face at an exploding tag. "Damn!"

Smoke came out of every hole, every window and from the blown up door itself. Katana came out of the black fog and ran in search of the doppelganger, fury etched on her face.

* * *

Sweat poured down on Gaara's naked back, his chest rising up and down in pants. He had just finished his daily morning training; something medics said would help with the recovery of his stamina and chakra level. The wind hollered at him and he shuddered at the cold contact. Back in Suna, the mornings would always have a generous amount of scorching heat and blinding sunlight.

Sitting cross-legged on the grassy ground, he wiped his face with a brown towel. He inhaled, enjoying the tranquil silence as his thoughts descended on a certain girl. Amusement filled his teal eyes. It still bewildered him how it was only Katana who he could think about.  
He couldn't imagine how lucky he was. Years back, he was nothing but a heartless monster as he was named, and it still made him guilty when remembered all the people he killed. Then he met her during chuunin exams.  
He remembered meeting her eyes, not a trace of fear within them. She was simple but different. And this baffled him quite a bit.

She changed him, without him even realizing it and inspired him to reach up as high as one could with their dreams. And now he could feel this very person's chakra, getting closer.

"Gaara." Snapped out of his trance, he whirled to meet her. Her breathing was cut in short gasps as if she ran away or chased something. He studied her intently. Something was off. "Gaara", she panted, "help—huff, me." She pleaded. Hearing her distressed tone, he paid no attention to his earlier observations and nodded. Gaara picked himself up from the ground and approached her. "What happened?" he inquired, his deep smooth voice rumbling in concern. "It's…It's…" Katana bit her lip, her eyes frantically looking around. Using his index finger, he raised her chin up and looked at her inquiringly. "What happened?" he repeated softly this time.

"M-My curse…It's reacting again and something weird happened. There were these w-whispers and voices in my mind and I had a t-terrible nightmare and so suddenly, t-there was this person looking like me and she's roaming around town." Her voice cracked with pressure as she rambled hastily. She finally stopped, looking at him with worry. He blinked. Katana tackled him in a hug, shivering as she did. "Uh…" Gaara felt his face burning at the bold gesture. Something was _definitely _off. But then he heard quiet sobbing, something wet on his chest. He inwardly scolded himself. She needed comfort, not opinions. Awkwardly, he rubbed her back and whispered soothing words.

"Calm down…I will help you." he murmured, brushing away the tears. "R-really?" Katana asked hopefully, burying her face in the crook of his neck. His mouth twitched upwards. "Really." He heard her draw a breath. "O-Okay…I trust you."

Meanwhile…

Katana swore again, eyes dangerously narrow. The atmosphere around her literally meant bloodlust. She wasn't just pissed. Oh, she was infuriated. What was the other 'her' thinking? She could be caught! What would people say when they see two Katana's? Heaving a troubled sigh, Katana entered the dango shop and sat down, planning to have a quick break before resuming her search again.

"Here you go." The waitress approached her table, setting down a glass of water. Nodding in thanks, Katana raised the glass to her dry lips and chugged it down, relieving her parched throat. "Katana-chan!" The remaining liquid in her mouth was spat out and she coughed. She craned her neck to the entrance. "N-Naruto? Sakura?" They smiled at her and entered, several people following behind them. Katana's droopy eyes widened as she saw the rookie 9 plus Team Gai. "Why are you guys all here? Is today some kind of special day?"

Kiba shrugged. "It's nothing really. We just haven't hanged out in a long time." A bright smile came from Chouji as an agreement. Ino pouted. "There wasn't really a time to hang out until now."

"Man, the missions were such a drag." Complained Shikamaru. They all sat around her, bringing up normal conversations. Katana smiled. She missed their academy days when they had time in their hands. "How 'bout you, Katana?" A question brought her back to reality. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry Ino, I wasn't paying attention. What was your question?" The blond girl blinked. "Not…paying attention?" They all stared at her. "What?" she asked in confusion. Then, Naruto smirked. "Ah…you must have been thinking about your new boyfriend, ne, Katana-chan?" Katana flushed. "I…I was not!" she protested indignantly, crossing her arms around her chest.

The girls giggled madly. "Don't bother denying, Katana-chan!" snickered Tenten teasingly. "We know what happened between you and Kazekage-sama." Added Sakura. A guilty smile crossed her features. "Okay, okay… but really, I wasn't thinking about him."

"Fine, fine…" Ino said before rolling her eyes.

"K-Katana-chan…" Katana turned to the meek voice and smiled. "Yes, Hinata-chan?"

"H-How a-are you?" Hinata returned the smile shyly along with the question. Katana's smile broadened at the friendly concern but it was soon turned into a grimace. Abruptly standing, she excused herself.

"Wait, wait, where are you going?" asked Naruto, grabbing her wrist gently before she could get out of the shop. She faced his worried gaze and the others' too. "Can't you stay here?" he asked almost pleadingly. Katana sighed and shook her head a 'no'. "Sorry guys, I…have some unfinished business to deal with."

"Unfinished business? What do you mean?" asked Lee next. Hesitation was written all over her. "I can't tell you." She admitted shamefully. Their faces dropped. "Why not, Katana?" Sakura stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey", she said, "you can always tell us anything. We're your friends!" Katana stared at her. Then she stared back at her friends around the table. _They're waiting for me…_

* * *

"What? A double?" Katana winced at her friend's volume. Numerous hushes made Naruto shrink back to his seat. Shikamaru rolled his eyes at his outburst, muttering words like 'too noisy' and 'troublesome'. "And the cause is your curse?" he asked. "No, the double _is _my curse. And after that nightmare, she managed to get herself out." Katana sighed tiredly, bringing her head down the table with a thud. She ran and searched for hours but still no sign of the offender anywhere.

"What do you plan to do?" asked Neji, sitting stiffly across her. A muffled groan answered him. They stared at her blankly. Raising her head up, the dark shading under her eyes became visible to them. "I don't know." She admitted in a low voice, none-too-happy.

"T-there, t-there, Ka-katana-chan…" smiled Hinata reassuringly, the pink taint in her face ever present. "W-we'll help y-you f-find her…r-right?" The shy Hyuuga turned to the others for support. Quick nods and smiles from the group. "Of course we will help, Katana-chan!" Lee exclaimed energetically, pumping a fist up in the air. "You didn't think we'll let you handle this stuff on your own, did ya?" piped in Tenten, weapons at hand. Katana's eyes soften. "Thank you."

Getting up and out of the restaurant, Naruto yelled, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A thousand Narutos grinned at Katana. "Come on guys! We've got some searching to do!" The black and orange crowd jumped off into several directions together with the rest of her friends. As Katana ran from roof to roof, an idea came to her. In her dream, even though she was talking to the other 'her' as a separate individual, she managed to activate her curse.

She focused, gathering her chakra towards the center and pushed it outwards. A burst of strength surged all over her body, her irises enveloped in gold and only gold. She was suddenly aware of the familiar chakra that was missing in her body. Calling her friends' attention, the sword wielder sped off to the location of her missing piece.

Katana unsheathed her sword as she took closer steps towards the training grounds. Although alert for anything unexpected to happen, she really didn't expect to see that scene right before her very eyes.

With her grasp loosening around the handle, the weapon came down on the grass with a thump, making the two people in front look at her. Wide aquamarine eyes focused at her. "Katana?" the deep voice of his never failed to send chills down her spine. She nodded slowly and reassuringly. "It's me. I'm Katana."

"Don't listen to her!" Katana glared at the woman beside him. She balled her fists tightly. "You…" she hissed under her breath, her attention all on her. "Gaara, step away from her." She ordered in a commanding voice, one that you shouldn't argue with. The confused sand wielder obeyed, backing away from the two same girls.

The fake called out to him again. "Gaara, don't leave me!" she begged. "She's— she's already deceiving you! "

A dangerous growl emitted from Katana. "Hands off my boyfriend!" A smirk graced the impersonator's lips, drawing her own sword. "You wish." She charged at the defenseless girl.

**End Chapter**

Yes, I know it took long, but my attention's kind of split in half because of summer classes I'm taking. On top of that, I had a huge, as in HUGE, writer's block.


	24. Chapter 24 Double Trouble

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 24: Double Trouble

Katana fell backwards as she barely missed the swipe. Blood welled up on the imprinted gash on her face. She reached out for her sword and brought it upwards at her defense just in time. Dark Katana's sword struck down on her, similar blades clashing against each other.

"Give up." The fake stated. Katana glared but chose not to answer. She sent a swift kick on the fake's gut, throwing the other one off balance. She sprung up on her feet and backed a safe distance away from her onyx-eyed twin.

Dark Katana recovered fast from the attack, standing up to meet the golden orbs glaring at her way. She sneered back. Both charged head on with the same jutsu in their minds. "Dendou Tora!" Bolts of lightning flashed at every direction, engulfing the whole diameter around them.

An explosion erupted, sounding like thunder roaring. In the midst of the smoky fog, two figures jumped away from the deep crater left from the impact, both completely unharmed. _This isn't working! _Thought Katana in agitation as she braced herself from an incoming assault.

Her clone's weapon descended down on hers. She sidestepped and jerked for a slash. The look-alike deflected the move and thrust forward. She jumped back.

No matter what they did, their strength remained equal. They had the same attacks, same jutsu, same agility and speed. The fight was clearly a draw.

"Stop struggling." Said Katana, "It's no use. Our strengths match. Your only choice is to return inside me."

Dark Katana scowled at her. "We were never equals!" she spat angrily. "I am always the stronger one…the bolder one who's not scared of unleashing my true power." Then she smirked. "You, on the other hand, would remain a weakling like the rest of these Konoha shinobi."

"I remain human." Answered back Katana, just as angry. "I care for these people, for this village, and they are what make me strong. You…You're nothing but a monster!"

"Then tell me…why would you want a monster back inside your body? Hm?" challenged the evil twin, leaving Katana unable to answer. "Why…would you want me, a curse, to stay? When you can always kill me, right here, right now?" She dropped her sword, leaving her open and vulnerable.

_She's giving me a chance to finish her…_Katana stared at her in disbelief. "Well?" demanded the fake again. "What are you going to do now? Won't you end your suffering?" It was a trap, Katana knew. There was a catch. There was always a catch.

Finally, something snapped inside Katana's mind, the gears in her head slowly comprehending. She snorted. The smirk on the double's face was wiped away. "What's so funny, girl?" Katana chuckled lightly, putting her sword back on its case. "You. You're funny." She said as a matter-of-factly.

Dark Katana grimaced. "And just what would make me seem so humorous?"

Katana's mouth curved into a cunning smile. "I thought that you, of all people, would know that I'm not that shallow or stupid." She gave the latter a knowing glance. "If I kill you, it would be like suicide then, won't it?" The look-alike's mouth dropped open. "How did you…?"

"You're a part of me, after all." Said Katana. "You're in my blood, in my chakra system, and in my mind. Any harm that I would bring upon you would end up on me later on."

Dark Katana growled, picking up her sword and placing it on Katana's neck. Katana's smile broadened. "And I believe the situation works vice versa." She continued. "If you kill me, you would have no solid container to return to, thus making you vanish like any other wasted chakra in the air."

The blade pierced through her skin, making crimson blood ooze out of the tiny wound. "I'd just have to get a new container then, right?" hissed the curse. Golden eyes narrowed. "There's a reason to why I'm still breathing right now…If my body wasn't compatible with the curse when Tamiko accidentally gave it to me, I would've died back then. Only certain people have the power to carry the burden of curses. Face it, you're stuck with me."

This time around, Katana's tone of voice challenged her, dared her to do it. Dark Katana's face darkened, pulling back the sword little by little away from Katana, until she sheathed her sword back again.

Katana sighed. "Alright. Now, let's not waste any more time and—"

"What makes you think I'll return to your body?" Katana stopped in mid sentence. A twisted grin on the clone's face told her everything wasn't a happy ending yet.

She raised an eyebrow at the remark. "So, you're not going back to me?" The doppelganger shrugged. "Didn't say I wouldn't. But I won't just… yet."

"What?" exclaimed Katana furiously. Dark Katana made a teleporting hand seal. "Taking me back ain't gonna be that easy…" She didn't vanish that instant as they both expected. Instead, the fake was glued to the ground, unable to move a single muscle.

Katana sighed again in relief, until she realized that she was in the same situation. "What the hell?" she protested. "Oi, don't explode just yet….troublesome…" Katana's eyes widened. "Shikamaru? Guys?" she asked hopefully. A kunai in her throat made her freeze. She saw Tenten do the same to the latter.

She inhaled slowly, preventing herself from panicking. She recognized the chakra of the person behind her and calmed down eventually. "Sakura, drop the kunai."

The medic-nin swallowed hard, her palms sweaty from anxiety. "How do I know if you are Katana?" she asked in doubt. From the other side, the copy whispered something to Tenten and the weapons mistress sighed in relief, letting go of her.

Katana's eyes widened in shock, the kunai pressing harder. "You liar…" hissed Sakura angrily. In alarm, Katana's head jerked back. "Sakura, you're making a mistake!" she shouted, sending the smirking clone dirty looks.

"Am I now?" spat her friend, threatening to slit her neck open any time. "Sakura, wait!" It was her voice, but she was sure she didn't say anything. Looking forward, she saw the double approach. "Sakura", said Dark Katana, "let me finish her."

Sakura blinked rapidly. "A-Are you sure?" she asked, bothered by the fact that Katana wanted to kill the fake herself. She nodded without hesitation, onyx eyes glistening in pure malice. "I'm quite sure." Katana was thrown out of Sakura's grasp but she remained stuck in Shikamaru's shadow bind. Naruto intervened from the group. "Katana-chan, you don't really have to go that fa—"

"Shut up!" She snapped. Naruto flinched. The look-alike glared coldly at Katana. "This is my chance to end this…To end her." She murmured and took out her blade. Katana could almost imagine the smooth steel of the weapon, cutting through her, her blood ran cold.

_So…this is how I'll die?_ She released a ragged breath and craned her head to the side, painfully smiling at her friends who glared at her. "Naruto, Sakura…" she said, closing her eyes as the other one swung the sword. "Goodbye!"

For a moment, Katana felt nothing.

She saw nothing, heard nothing but the fast beats of her racing heart against her ribcage. _Am I…dead? _

"Clank!"

The urgent sound made her golden eyes snap wide open and suck in air in a gasp. The first thing she saw was Gaara, who stood in front of her protectively; his sand had a death grip on Dark Katana's arm. "Oi, Gaara!" yelled Naruto indignantly, trying to pry the grainy particles off the copy's arm but failing miserably. "What the hell are you doing?"

The redhead ignored him, his gaze never leaving the clone. "You're not Katana." He stated stoically, shocking all of them.  
A nervous chuckle escaped the twin. "W-What do you mean, Gaara? S-Stop kidding around." She tugged her arm, but the sand only tightened its coil around her.

"Gaara! What do you mean she's not the real Katana?" demanded Naruto. "Her eyes." Replied Gaara. "They're the eyes…of a heartless killer."

"You're smart, boy." Snarled Dark Katana, her nightmare black eyes glaring at his teal ones. Gaara's expression was unwavering, showing not a trace of fear on them. "Hurt Katana again and I will kill you." The threat rolled out of his tongue like venom, calm but serious.

Sakura covered a hand on her mouth. "Oh my god…" she mumbled, hastily helping Katana up her feet and hugging her tight. "I'm sorry, Katana. I'm so sorry." The brunette nodded, letting out a relieved breath as everyone gathered around her in concern.

After a few minutes to compose herself, Katana walked up to the copy and frowned. "No more games…Just go back to my body." Dark Katana snorted and smiled conceitedly. "You're not getting me back that easy. Junsei Kurayami!"

"Everyone, scram!" barked Katana, jumping away from the toxic fumes. "Hinata, Neji! Where is she?" Activating their byakugan, the cousins found the chakra easily through the thick mist of poison. "Tenten, three o'clock!" ordered the male Hyuuga prodigy.

"On it!" Replied Tenten, flipping a scroll open. A shower of sharp blades rained down on the spot, waving out the haze. With a clearer view of the opponent, Katana shouted, "Kuroi Kago!" Black bars sprung up around the double, forming a cage with her trapped inside. "Dendou Tsume!"

"Kuroi Kaki!" The sword mistress slammed her hands down on the ground, black flames from her body trailing fast towards the cage and engulfing its bars before the claw shaped chakra made contact with it. Dark Katana drew her chakra fused hand away from the burning steel. "You insolent girl!" she roared furiously, gripping her head in frustration.

Although covered in flames, Katana's aura was threateningly icy. She paced deliberately slow towards the cage and stopped in front of her twin. "Give up." She said coolly.

"Never!" hissed Dark Katana. Eyebrows furrowing in disapproval, Katana snapped her fingers and the confinement around her vanished, much to everyone's shock, including the double. "What is this?" asked the look-alike in suspicion. Gilded orbs bore into coal eyes. Katana grasped the hilt of her weapon, pulling it out of its case. Wary looks from the group focused on the sword. She pointed it to her pulse.

"Katana-chan!"

"Katana!"

"What are you doing?"

The brunette ignored the alarmed protests of her friends and instead paid attention to the widened eyes of the curse. When black eyes glowered at her, Katana knew she made the right move. Panic was the only thing Katana can see in her twin. "Go back to my body or I kill myself." She stated. _What are you going to do now?_

"You're bluffing! You wouldn't even dare!" Nervous laughter escaped Dark Katana, trying to hide the dread that built up on her. Katana raised an eyebrow and punctured her skin lightly, her gaze on the copy never faltering. "Try me."She whispered in a dead serious tone.  
Color drained from the double's face. "You will regret this."

Dark Katana slammed hard to her body, disintegrating into dust-like particles. Katana's eyes flashed black, turning into gold, then black again. The air around her was starting to freeze with the powerful chakra suddenly bursting inside her. Her body shuddered violently, collapsing limply to the ground. Painful wasn't enough to describe it. The agony was torturously slow, making death seem like a better choice. She could almost feel the curse's chakra, crushing every single one of her cells.

It wasn't long before she coughed out blood. Katana's vision turned blurry and red. The last thing she heard was panicked screams and a voice telling her to hold on before finally, passing out into unconsciousness.

* * *

Pain. That was all she could think about. It hurt everywhere. Even thinking about it hurts. _I can't take anymore of this… Maybe I shouldn't have taken her back. She was right. I am starting to regret this. Is this suffering really worth living? I wanna die. Dying means sleeping forever right? That way…I won't feel anything anymore._

"Katana…" _Katana? Is that me? Is that person calling for me?_

"Katana." _I know his voice… He used to say my name a lot of times… _

"Katana, please…" _What does he want?_

"Open your eyes." _Open…my eyes? But why? It hurts too much, Tou-san…_

"Katana, wake up… please…" _Who is this another person? He seems important to me too. Who was he again? Red hair… teal eyes right?_

"It's me…Gaara." _Gaara? Oh, yes, Gaara…That's his name. Sabaku no Gaara..._

Katana opened her eyes feebly, the light of the room momentarily blinding her. After getting used to it, she craned her head to the side, resisting the urge to scream at the contracting ache. Her sleepless grey orbs fell on two men sitting beside her, staring like idiots with wide eyes.

She would've chuckled at the sight of them if it wasn't too painful to do so. She let out, instead, a weak-willed grunt. In an instant, Kakashi was out of the door to call Tsunade, muttering something like, "stay with her" to the teenage Kage. Aquamarine eyes gazed back at her again, his strong hand capturing her pale and cold one. He squeezed it gently, allowing her to see the unmistakable worry in his eyes.

She tried to smile, but her efforts only resulted into an upward twitch of her mouth. "How are you feeling?" he asked lowly. She gave him a sarcastic look. _How do you think I'm 'feeling'?_

"You lost a lot of blood. Tsunade-sama said something about chakra overload." He explained carefully. "But she told us you'll be alright..."

A thin eyebrow rose. _Do you doubt her? _He shrugged as answer to her unspoken question. "I can't help but worry. Hatake-san was worried for you as well."

The door creaked, making both of them glance at it. The blonde Hokage entered with her medic robes, Kakashi and Shizune following behind her. Tsunade smiled at her and Gaara. "I'm glad to see you're awake now." Katana nodded once in thanks. Tsunade did her a quick check-up just to make sure her chakra level remained stable. "I have good news and bad news." Announced the Sannin after clearing up the equipments. "What do you want to hear first?"

"G-good." Croaked out Katana in a hoarse voice. "The good news is," said Tsunade, "your chakra level is in a stable condition. There's nothing to worry about now, but I will want you to stay here and rest for three days." Then she sighed. "Unfortunately, Team 7 and 8's retrieval mission is tomorrow. So, I'm afraid to say you can't go."

A frown of confusion took over Katana. "What m-mission?" Tsunade blinked back at her in the same confused way. Then with annoyance, she faced Kakashi. "You didn't tell her?" she demanded angrily.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama…" the copy ninja bowed in apology, a guilty look on his face. "W-what didn't he tell me?" asked Katana again. Kakashi sighed and took a seat on her bed. "Remember the day I told you Sasuke killed Orochimaru?" She nodded cautiously.

"Naruto…came up with a plan, that if we try and go for Itachi, the same person that made Sasuke run away, we might be able to bring him back." Katana's eyes widened. "W-Why didn't you tell me? We finally have a chance to bring him back!" she shouted at him, leaving a burning sensation on her dry throat.

His eyebrows furrowed in sorrow. "I didn't tell you…because if this mission fails again and we are not able to bring back Sasuke, I can't bear to see you torment and blame yourself for the second time around." She looked down. "Maybe it's better if you stop trying to do what you promised. You're only hurting yourself."

Katana's fists clenched around the sheets. "Stop trying?" Her head snapped up. "I can't just stop trying! I promised! I was the one who—"

"Stop blaming yourself!" shouted back Kakashi and grabbed her shoulders. "We both know he's not coming back! He's not the Sasuke we once knew! Sasuke's dead and you know that!"

"He's not dead yet!" argued Katana. "He's dying!" Kakashi stopped his grip on her. Katana hugged him gently. "He's dying slowly and he needs us. He needs us to change him." The older man relaxed against her, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. "We can't stop now, Tou-san…" whispered Katana hopefully. "Not when we still have hope."

**End Chapter**


	25. Chapter 25 Friend or Foe

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 25: Friend or Foe

Tsunade couldn't help the smile that was shown in her exceptionally young face. It was a good day after all. Her council meetings went well, the elders weren't acting like asses and miraculously, there were no heavy piles of paperwork in her desk! "I'm in cloud nine!" She smirked, walking in a relaxed pace towards the kunoichi's room. Three knocks were sent to Katana's door. "Katana, I'm here for your final check-up!" she yelled enthusiastically from outside.  
Minutes passed but no one responded from the room. 'Perhaps she's asleep? She was heavily sedated with painkillers last night…' Sighing, she took out a large ball of various keys. After what seemed like years for her, she finally found the fitting key. Tsunade pushed it in and turned the knob. The door squeaked in protest as she opened it wide. Golden rimmed irises scanned the white-tiled room.  
The room smelled of cinnamon and fresh flowers. The bed was neatly made with the sheets folded but the patient was nowhere to be found. "Katana?" called out the master medic in confusion. Approaching the bedside, she found a letter tucked under the piles of roses and 'get well soon' cards and gifts.

It read: _'Dear Tsunade-sama, I went with Katana-chan. There's no need to worry. She's safe with me. And I'm pretty sure you'll kill her anyway when we get back. I'm sorry._

—_Sakura'_

The blond Sannin only rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Kids…" she grumbled, "so predictable." Getting out of the room, she headed for her office for some sake, knowing that anytime now; ANBU were going to report about tied up guards by the gate.

* * *

The afternoon sun was high, illuminating the forest floor. Four hours had passed and still no sign of Uchiha Sasuke. Evident frustration was scribbled on Katana's face. She suddenly stopped in her tracks and groaned, feeling her head throb again. _"You idiot of a girl!" _hissed her curse, _"why won't you stop fighting? You're gonna get us…ME, killed!"_ Really, she wanted to strangle her double. "Ah, shut up, will you?" she muttered. The curse replied by making the mark on her shoulder sting. She winced, glaring at the source of pain before continuing her trail. _"You can't ignore me forever, Katana."_ It said. Katana snorted humorously. "Wanna bet?"

"_Why you—"_ Their argument was cut short when a twig snap sounded. Hiding behind a thick trunk, Katana slowed her chakra flow as not to be discovered by the two other chakra signatures that popped up from nowhere. Peeking slightly, she caught sight of two humongous white birds with a person riding on each. The two slid down from them. From afar, she could make out red clouds in their dark cloaks. "Akatsuki…"

"See, un? It's no problem at all." Said the first silhouette with blonde hair. The grip on the hilt of her sword tightened. She knew that voice all too well. "Senpai", piped the other one with the mask, "which do we go after? Sasuke or the Kyuubi?" Katana's eyes widened. _Sasuke? The Akatsuki are going after Sasuke too?_ They climbed back up the bird again. "Hmmm, I wonder, un." With a flap of their wings, the clay birds took flight. "Dammit", she cursed, "I have to follow them." She looked ahead at the open clearing. "Looks like I have to take the long way around." Retreating back to the forest, she added chakra to her feet and sped off after them. The tree barks were slippery with moss and the rocks wet from the rain earlier, making it more difficult for Katana to run faster. _Come on…!_ She glanced upwards. The birds were still there.

Determined to not to lose them, she gathered all the chakra to her center and shut her eyes tight. _Work with me. Just this once._ She pleaded. _"And just why would I do that?"_ was the rude reply of the latter. Katana resisted the urge to snap at her. _Because…_ she tried to reason in her sincerest voice, _you know how it feels to lose a friend…You've been with me long enough to understand how much I want to bring back Sasuke. So help me…Because I know you feel the same way. You're me, remember? As I am you…_ Dark Katana didn't respond. A sigh escaped the girl's mouth. Her eyes opened slowly. "I guess it's worth a shot…" she mumbled disappointedly, again looking up to make sure the birds were still in sight. A sudden burst of energy surged inside her, her eyesight becoming sharper, like a hawk's. Her irises turned into a swirling vortex of black and gold.

Katana smiled widely. _"Don't think just because I helped you one time that you're safe from my wrath, you got that brat?" _She only laughed as a reply and sprinted faster than she ever did. Katana regretted doing that afterwards. She looked up. The birds were gone. "…I lost them." She mumbled in disbelief. _"Well, geez. Good job. What now?"_ A sigh escaped her lips and sent a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose lightly. "We have to wait for them to catch up with us."

"_What if they already landed and you missed them?"_

"Then I don't kno—"

A loud explosion erupted, dirt and smoke gushing towards the girl. _Deidara! _She thought. Waving away the fog, she unsheathed her sword and ran north. It wasn't long before she started hearing voices. "Ah, such malice! I like those eyes of him, Tobi, un!" A sadistic laugh came from Deidara. Curious on what the S-rank nin meant, Katana shifted her gaze forward and gasped inaudibly. Clad in a dark cloak with his eyes red and black, there stood at the center of the explosion, Uchiha Sasuke. His glare was unwavering, cold like the blade of the Death god. Deidara spoke up once more, "This guy's definitely Itachi's brother. Because of the Uchiha bloodline, he was able to kill Orochimaru… Misunderstanding bastard." He sneered viciously.  
Since he was too busy talking, he failed to realize that Sasuke already made his move. His sword at hand, he swiped at them impossibly fast. Unlike the bomber, his masked partner was unable to get away in time and collapsed on the ground like a limp sack. "You seem to have no control over your mouth", stated Sasuke in a monotone voice, "so I'll ask you a few questions about Itachi." Inclining his head to his left, Sasuke saw the supposed-to-be dead man stand up from the corner of his eye.  
"What are you doing Tobi?" demanded Deidara angrily. "His body flicker technique is too fast for us, senpai!" reasoned out the childish member. The blond man placed his hands inside his clay pouch and pulled them out, hundreds of white eggs on his hands. "Get back, Tobi!" he ordered and threw them at Sasuke. Forming his hand seal, the eggs turned into spiders. Sasuke only snorted, chidori appearing on his hand. He flicked it and dozens of blade-like chakra flew and pinned the clay bombs on trees.

"Damn."

"Senpai! Above you!"

Another explosion sounded. Katana winced. After a few minutes, Deidara jumped out of the smoke. _Where's…Sasuke?_ As if he heard her unspoken question, Sasuke jumped out to the far side of the two Akatsuki members. She exhaled in relief. _I've got to get out of hiding._

"Katana."

She froze.

"Why are you here?" Swallowing hard, she stood up, meeting his onyx orbs. They were cold and hard, boring a hole in her soul. But deep down in those dark eyes, Katana saw something flicker. Something like…hope. "Katana." Called Sasuke for the second time, his tone turning dangerous. Remaining unfazed, Katana took a few steps forward. "I'm here to take you home." She declared. He raised an amused eyebrow. "Take me where?"

"Home." Answered Katana, narrowing her eyes. "Back to Konoha." Tension that hung thick in the air was sliced in half when a laugh was heard. Both ninjas turned to Deidara. The blond man was smirking. "Oi", he said, "aren't you the Kazekage's little girlfriend? Ah, so you didn't die of the explosion, un?" Katana eyed him with disdain. "Indeed, I didn't. It's a pity that you aren't dead from blood loss either."  
Deidara clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Cocky brat. Anyone who fights me can't continue living." He smirked and looked at Sasuke. "Nor does those who kill my prey."  
Katana raised her weapon, going into a stance. "If you come on me with an intent to kill, I will not hesitate to do the same. But I am not here to fight." She glanced at the Uchiha. "I am here to bring back a friend." Sasuke drew his own katana, his Sharingan activated. "I am neither dying nor going with anyone anywhere." The three of them locked gazes, daring each other to make the first move. At last, Deidara took the bait. Clapping his hand together, a gigantic dragon sculpture 'poof'ed out from behind him. The dragon spat out thousands of rounded bombs. "You know what to do Tobi, un!" The masked man saluted. "Hai, senpai!"

Katana took a minute to study their battle strategy. _Is he gonna use those or attack from above?_ She heard her former teammate snort. "What a pain." Stated Sasuke, charging head on. "Sasuke, wait!" cried Katana, before cursing and running after him. As the two ran ahead, the dragon spat out a smaller version of it, flying directly for them. Alarmed, Katana dove to her left. "Watch out!" The bomb exploded, barely missing the dark-haired teen. But he didn't stop. He ran for the dragon again, shaping another Chidori as a 5-meter long blade. The technique failed as he missed the dragon's foot by a mile. Sasuke waved away the chakra from his hands.

"Nice try, un. But this time, you're mine!" cackled the blond. In an instant, the dragon spat yet another mini-me, heading straight for Sasuke. The second explosion erupted, its magnitude larger than the first. Katana did a quick seal and teleported to a safe distance. She scanned her area. "Peek-a-boo! I see you!" Jerking her head, she saw the bomb intended for her. As soon as the explosive made contact with the grass below, it went off, clouds of flames wildly spreading. Black flames automatically surrounded her body, protecting her from the detonation. A prickly sensation came over her whole body, like having a fever. The strong odor of her chakra overwhelmed her. Katana ran, away from the fresh crater and towards the direction of Deidara.

"—done planting clay mines! " She caught the words of the other Akatsuki, halting just in time before she got blown up into bits. A maniac laugh escaped Deidara. "My C-2 can box you within the land mines and…" Looking at her right, she noticed that his center of attention was Sasuke. Wasting no time to listen to his speech, she did another seal, vanishing and appearing at the bomber's back. "You're too late." Katana spoke up, the cold tip of her weapon pressing on her enemy's neck. Much to her surprise, Deidara faced her with a smirk. "No", he objected, "_you're _too late, un."

BANG!

Katana dodged the C-1, and aimed a roundhouse kick at him. He blocked, sending another clay bird at her. With a quick flick, it was cut in half before it detonated. "Feisty!" teased Deidara, another wave of bombs targeting her. She swiped, slashed and ducked, her black and gold patterned eyes glaring menacingly at him. Suddenly, she didn't care for Sasuke anymore. She could deal with bringing him back later. Right now, she had to kill this bastard who managed to kill Gaara. A swish of air made Katana lose those thoughts. She rolled to her left just in time to dodge the incoming giant shuriken. Deidara ducked as well, a shocked expression on his face. He jerked back, looking down at Sasuke with his beet red face of anger. "You resort to pathetic tricks like that? You insult me!" he bellowed.

'So Sasuke's making his move underneath…' Another kick startled Deidara and made him fall down. Raising her sword, Katana struck down. He rolled and stood up. "You think you can defeat me so easily?" A ripping noise was heard, and both turned their heads. A chakra blade pierced through the left wing of the dragon, before completely slicing it off. Katana smirked. "Yes." Down below, Sasuke threw a pair of giant shurikens, pinning Deidara into the dragon's back. "Sasuke!" called out Katana. They were falling fast, right above the land mines.

Ten…

He was nowhere to be seen.

Nine…

Where was he?

Eight…

Realization dawned to her.

Seven…

He left her. He left her to die.

Six…

She gritted her teeth.

Five…

How could she be so foolish?

Four…

She closed her eyes and braced herself.

Three…

Something cold and scaly wrapped around her.

Two…

And pulled her away.

One…

The noise was deafening, and Katana swore she felt the whole world shake at the impact. Red and orange clouds formed a giant mushroom-like fire. But she was safe, away from the greedy tongues of flame. Speaking of...where was she? Katana looked up and spoke one word. "Sasuke."

He looked down on her, his eyes not as cold as before but remained unreadable. "Why did you save me?" He left her question unanswered. They landed on a tree branch and both teenagers looked back at the remaining wisps of smoke. "Stupid Senpai!" wailed Tobi from somewhere. "I told you you'd in an explosion!"

Shreds of burnt Akatsuki cloak flew. From the ashes and gray atmosphere, a flying silhouette emerged. "Shut your freaking mouth, Tobi!" barked Deidara, fury etched on his features. Katana stared in disappointment. "He just keeps on coming…" muttered Sasuke quietly. "Katana…look away."

Her head turned to him in confusion. "What?" Her eyes widened and her muscles tensed. It felt like someone was squeezing the air out of her lungs. "Sasuke…your eyes…Sharingan…" she mumbled incoherently, shuddering. His hand reached up and covered her view. "Idiot", he said, "I told you to look away." Slowly, Katana felt herself relax once more. She let out a shaky breath. "Gomen, it won't happen again." Pushing his hand away, she focused on Deidara instead. "What's your plan?"

Sasuke shook his head once. "I don't have any. We must wait." The bomber from above stuck his hand inside his clay pouch. Taking out a fistful of the white substance, he bit into it and chewed. Katana's eyes narrowed. "What is he doing?"

Deidara swallowed every last bit of the clay and did a hand seal, "My most powerful attack yet!" he declared, "YOU'RE DEAD! Get outta here, Tobi!" The orange-masked man obeyed his order and scampered away. With all his might, the blond Akatsuki heaved and threw up the same white stuff that he ate. Katana watched in horror as it took the form of a gigantic Deidara. "W-what…?" A pull made her stumble backwards and jerk to the other direction. "Run." Hissed the Uchiha, sprinting as fast as he can away from the giant sculpture. Katana followed his lead, jumping from one tree to another.

"Running away from my C4? Hah!" Deidara made the final hand seal and the giant inflated, getting fatter and fatter until it blew up. Katana stopped in her tracks. "We weren't…harmed…Is it a fake?" She turned to Sasuke, only to realize that he wasn't there beside her anymore. She whirled around. "S-Sasuke? Sasuke!" She turned back and saw him running towards her with a look of panic. "Get away!" he told her.

Deidara smirked. "Too late un…Sublimate!"

Sasuke's body crumbled into dust like particles. Terror was on his face, desperately trying to save himself. "No…N-no!" he screamed. Katana could only watch as he completely turned into ashes. "Sa…Sasuke…" Mouth agape, she stood in silence for a moment. Slowly, A wicked grin formed on her lips. "As usual, Sasuke…Your genjutsu was brilliant." With that, the brunette did a seal and vanished.

She reappeared on the forest and hid behind the trunk of a tree, watching Deidara and Sasuke. "Where is Itachi?" she heard him ask. The Akatsuki member did not answer. Instead, he stretched out his arms. From his hand-mouths came out two snakes, wrapping around Sasuke's ankle. Remaining indifferent, the young avenger let electricity travel down his body and into the elongated body of the snakes. In alarm, Deidara cut them off, panting heavily. Not long after, Sasuke followed the suit and dropped down to his knees. "Heh. Tired aren't you? Now, we're both out of chakra." The blond let out a delighted laugh. "Now matter what, I'll win the fight." He said with confidence.

Sasuke's only reaction was to glare. "Oi…", muttered Deidara, "in this situation you're in, you could show some fear, don't you think? This time, my art will win…and you'll die." He taunted, throwing his head back in laughter. Again, the dark-haired teen betrayed no emotion. He was unfazed by Deidara's words.

Finally Deidara broke down. "You really piss me off! Exactly like your brother!" he roared. "Stop acting so damn cool! Those eyes…Those eyes make me mad! I can't stand them, looking down at my art!" His fists clenched and he sat upright. "Those eyes of yours without any amazement…criticizing me…I hate them!"

"I don't give a damn about any of this", spat Sasuke, his patience running thin, "just tell me where Itachi is." He deactivated his Sharingan, charcoal orbs appearing behind those eyelids once more. Katana studied him. Without the Sharingan, he looked more sincere…more desperate. It was something she couldn't understand. Deidara gave him a look of disbelief and rage. "You're not going to use the Sharingan anymore? You keep underestimating me…" he seethed through his locked jaw.

In a flash, he ripped off his fishnet shirt and exposed a stitched wound right on his heart. One of his mouths cut open the thread and pulled it out roughly. A set of sharp razor teeth was seen as the opened wound turned out to be a mouth. He stuffed some of the clay inside it. Chakra nerves on his body strained and swelled up; his skin seemed to crack under the extreme pressure. "This is my ultimate art! Death will make me a piece of art. It's an unbelievable explosion that will shake the Earth, and finally, my art will have the praises it deserves!"

'Guh…This guy…He's going to blow himself up?' thought Katana, as she moved out of hiding place. "It has a radius of 10 kilometers, there's no way you can escape!" The swollen veins were starting to get darker and darker on his pale skin. It focused on his heart, the chakra in there building up. "Now admire, despair and shout! Because my art…" Katana snatched Sasuke's arm, dragging him into the teleportation jutsu. "…is a bang." A blinding light filled their vision and everything was engulfed by the tremendous sound of explosion.

* * *

Katana opened her eyes. She was in a different place now. Inclining her head to the left, she saw Sasuke's staggering figure and supported him with her remaining strength. "You okay there?" she murmured, wincing as his weight was brought down on her. He looked exhausted and dead tired but he nodded. She scanned the area. They were in the heart of the woods. Gently, she laid him down on the soft grass and sat down beside him. Katana let out a sigh. "Finally…" she said and turned to him with a smile. The sharp blade of his sword glinting right in front of her cut off her temporary relief. Her breathing became shallow as she glanced up at his bruised face. "Sasuke", she droned out slowly, calmly, "what is the meaning of this?"

"This is where I say good-bye." Onyx eyes narrowed and the cold steel inched nearer to her throat. She snorted despite her position. "Don't joke around, Sasuke. You can barely fight. And I'll admit, I'm out of chakra too." She looked away. "So sit down…"

To her surprise, he did. He sat down on a rock, sheathing his sword. A moment of silence was shared between them. "They're going to be here soon." said Katana. "Naruto…Sakura…Kakashi…they're all com—"

"It doesn't matter." Cut in Sasuke and Katana turned to him. "My companions are going to summon me back to them."

"I won't let you." Was her sharp answer, unsheathing her own weapon. He met her eyes. "You can't do anything." It was true. She knew it was true. Her grip on the sword shaking, she threw it aside in fury. The metal clanked on the ground noisily, echoing throughout.

"Y-you…" she began, "Why can't you just go back to us?" Katana all but yelled at him. Grey eyes glared at him with desperation, begging him to answer. "You told me to take care of them…You told me to tell them you're sorry…You cared for them, Sasuke!" The young man didn't have any reactions. "You cared for them! You cared…for us." He was looking down on his feet. Her shoulders hunched in sadness. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Why can't you just go back? It'll be like the old times", she told him, "You, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei and me…Team seven. We were always a family, weren't we?"

For a while, no one said anything. Sasuke sat there stiffly, still looking down as if contemplating on an answer to give. Katana stared at him, waiting for his response. "I can't." he said. Katana felt her hope crumbled down and her chest contract painfully. He looked up at her. "I thought you understood." He stated, standing up. He put on his cloak and took a few steps towards her. "I can no longer go back, Katana. Nothing can ever be the way it was before." Her fists clenched. He took another series of steps, this time away from her. Then he stopped. "When I told you to take care of them…I thought you knew that it meant protecting them away from me. I trusted you Katana. So please...don't let me down again." He vanished.

* * *

"Katana…!" Voices were heard from a distance. Her team had found her. "Katana!" exclaimed Sakura, hugging her quickly and checking her up and down for any sign of injury. "Are you alright?" She asked. "Where's Sasuke? Did you find him?"

Katana glanced up, Sakura's green eyes shining in excitement. "Well?" Katana smiled sadly and faced the rest. "Team 7…Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei…I think I may have made a mistake." A lone tear fell from the corner of her eye. "Sasuke isn't coming back."

**End Chapter**


	26. Chapter 26 Boyfriend Fiasco

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 26: Boyfriend Fiasco

_**A year later…**_

Hasty footsteps were heard as the kunoichi ran, escaping the traps that were set for her. Sweat slid down from her forehead. Months of this made her quick and alert. Her eyes darted everywhere, and yet her opponent was nowhere to be found. Her arms were worn out and her feet felt like bleeding. Irregular puffs of breath came out from her dry mouth. Something flashed from the corner.  
_There!_ Blades came flying from every direction. The blur dodged effortlessly, as if avoiding foot-long newly sharpened steel knifes were a child's play. The girl gritted her teeth in frustration. And so suddenly, the enemy appeared before her. Caught off guard, she narrowly ducked as a fist came towards her face fast.  
She sidestepped, using the hilt of her weapon to elbow the guy on the stomach. He winced as it landed down hard, and was too slow to recover for another incoming blow. The attacks rained down on him, immediate and harsh. He gasped for air, his lungs suffocating.  
From the corner of his eye, he saw she swing her arm and knew he was done for. "Darui-sempai…" said the girl. The long silver sword shone in the light as it went for his neck. Eyes shut close in admitted defeat.  
He felt a chilly sensation just below his jaw and shuddered. "…I win."

The jounin opened his eyes, smiling at the younger shinobi before him. "You've improved, Katana-sama." Said brunette retracted back her sword and placed it back to its sheath. Her gaze softened despite the exhaustion. "Thank you, Darui-sempai."

It had already been nine months since Katana started her vigorous training in Kumogakure. She came to her father with a stubborn determination and demanded him to train her. Perhaps the main reason of this was her last fight with and against Sasuke. She remembered that night she told Team 7 it was hopeless, and how Naruto wouldn't stop yelling and shaking her until she changed her point of view otherwise.

A distant look was placed on her face and she smiled absentmindedly. She had been wrong that time. And she swore to Naruto, she'd never think like that again.

"Ktana-sma!"

A call snapped her out of her thoughts. She and Darui turned. A tan shinobi jogged his way towards them, a lollipop stuck inside his mouth. "Rykage-sma clled fur you!" he said, the candy making it hard for him to talk properly. "Baka", reprimanded the older guy as Katana fought down her laughter.  
"Take out that damn lollipop before talking." The newcomer looked indignant at being called an idiot, but he followed his senior's instruction nonetheless. "Katana-sama, Raikage-sama requested for you." He said politely, completely ignoring Darui. Katana's grin was full of amusement. "Thank you, Omoi. I'll be there in a minute."

The soldier bowed to her and turned to blow a raspberry at his teammate before running off.

"O-Oi!" shouted Darui, his dark complexion tainted with pink. Katana snickered and patted him on the back. "Come on, Darui-sempai. I wonder what Tou-san needs…"

* * *

Three knocks were sent to the white doors of the office. Katana waited, playing with her fingers behind her back. Two voices were heard conversing with each other from the inside. One was deep and gruff, which with no doubt belonged to her father. The latter was smooth and melodious, and judging from the way he speaks, the visitor was also filthy rich.

Through the past months, Katana had familiarized herself with the manner of speech feudal lords and noble men used. Her father seemed to be always busy meeting them these previous days. "Come in, Katana." She entered the room. Cinnamon walls welcomed her as she bowed down in respect before the two men. "Raikage-sama", she said and the Kumo leader nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "You called for me?"

"Yes." He motioned for her to come closer. "This is Nomiya Daitaro." He introduced. Katana's gaze traveled upwards. Silk robes, fair skin, and that arrogant smile was all it needed for her to confirm her earlier suspicions. Was he a merchant? A son of one of the council elders? Or perhaps…

"He is the son of the feudal lord, Nomiya Genkei." _Ah, bingo._ The young man stepped up, his tall and broad form towering over her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Katana." He greeted, extending a hand. Eyebrows rose in surprise when she heard him call her by her first name. "The pleasure's all mine, Nomiya-san." She said, reaching out for a handshake. "You really are as beautiful as the people say…" he remarked. Katana smiled in appreciation. "Though I must admit", he added with a face of mock disappointment, "a maiden like you would've looked better in something more…" he trailed off, eyeing her.  
Both father and daughter followed his gaze and understood what he meant. The black sweatshirt clung to Katana like a second skin. Her knee-high shorts were ripped and torn from dodging traps. Hazel strands of hair stuck to her forehead. Rubbing the back of her neck, embarrassed laughter escaped her as the Raikage grimaced. "Forgive me, Nomiya-san. I was not given enough time to prepare myself." With this, she cast an accusing glance at her father.

The princely character gave a nonchalant shrug. "No worries." He said. "We still have the chance to get to know each other better for tomorrow." Blinking twice in confusion, she asked, "Tomorrow? Getting to know each other?" From the corner of her eye, she saw her father gulp nervously. The heir's lips curled into a devious smile. "Why of course. Actually, we have all the time to get to know each other better, that is, before we plan the wedding."

"The wedding?" exclaimed Katana, jaws dropping open in shock. Daitaro sent back her previously confused look with his own. "Did you not know?" he asked, the smugness wiped off his face.

"Of course, I don—"

"She does." The two looked back at the seated Kage. Grey orbs studied the older man, the way his eyes sent her a silent plea. "You do know that, don't you Katana?" inquired her father, raising one eyebrow for the show. A heavy lump formed in her throat. "I…Of course, I do." She droned out slowly and carefully, her eyes never leaving her father. Daitaro heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good to know." He chuckled lightly. "For a minute there, I thought you forgot."

Faked sweet laughter erupted from Katana."That's funny", she commented dryly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I thought I forgot that too. Don't you think it's funny, Tou-san?" She said, smiling at her dad. The Raikage's laugh sounded more like a helpless whimper.

"Anyway", said the coal-haired boy, "I have to go now. My father will be expecting me at his mansion." Reaching out, he raised her chin with his index finger. Katana fought the sudden urge to kill him. "But don't worry", he whispered, "I'll be back tomorrow." With much effort, the brunette managed a twitching beam. "I-I'll be waiting." _You wish._ He let go of her and winked before being led out of the room by one of the house staff. Katana's eyes followed him as he exited, and continued to face the closed door. "He's a nice guy, isn't he?" she heard her father say. "Confident and proud. I really wouldn't mind him being my son-in-la—"

"Cut the crap, Tou-san." The girl hissed, slamming her hands down hard on the poor hickory desk. How she even managed to get there from her previous position in a split second, the Raikage didn't know. "I thought we talked this through, Tou-san…" she droned out slowly. Her eyes glowed in a predatory manner. Beads of nervous sweat dripped down from the tan face of A Yotsuki. "I thought we had an agreement", she grounded out, "that I DO NOT entertain suitors!" It was funny how she could turn the bravest men into shaking cowards with just her glare. Although proud of this, A wished his daughter didn't use this talent of hers on him.  
Taking in a deep breath, he said boldest thing he could think of, "I'm sorry." The corner of Katana's eye twitched. She slapped a hand to her forehead. "You can't just say sorry right after you did it!" He waited, looking at her like an expectant child. A frustrated sigh was heard.

"What happened anyway?" There was exhaustion in her voice. "My advisors brought up the topic." He said, hoping that the blame would be passed on to them. He received an uninterested raised eyebrow. He guessed the blame was still on him. "They told me that you are already in an eligible age and many fine lads are crazy over you."

"Right…" came the sarcastic comment. He rolled his gold rimmed irises. "And then, there was this young man, Daitaro. He seemed special." There was a snort. "Really now?" The Raikage frowned. "So you don't like him?" he asked, crossing his beefy arms across his chiseled chest. Katana peeked through her fingers. "He's arrogant, annoying, irritating, moronic, and I'm sure even more poised than I am so…Sure I like him."

"Would you stop being sarcastic?" he scolded. She crossed out her own arms and puffed out her cheeks stubbornly. "If I did, would you stop setting me up with idiots?" she remarked back. The two had a glaring contest. Then, the look in Katana's face softened by a degree. "Tou-san…I'm not marrying that guy…" she said, uncrossing her arms and letting them drop to her sides. "Please don't expect me to do so." The Raikage reclined back to his seat with a tired sigh. "I understand. But please, Katana", he pleaded, "just try to get to know him. All I want is for you to find the right man. You're dismissed." She bowed and turned to leave. As she walked through the wide hallways, Katana looked down guiltily. _I already found the right guy, Tou-san…I just wish I could tell you…_

To say that Katana disliked her visitor that very moment was an understatement. She smiled and laughed, patiently listening as he went on and on about his life. But underneath those masks, she wanted to bury him alive. "Now", she heard him mutter, "enough about me." _Oh thank Kami…_He turned to her, and she almost wanted to pummel that smug face of his. "What about you? Tell me more about yourself, Katana-chan." The brunette's face twitched into a sarcastic smile. "O-Of course, Daitaro-_kun._"

_I swear, if he calls me Katana-chan once more, I'll—_ Katana banished that line of thought, keeping her temper in check. Instead, she answered his question politely. "I'm a kunoichi." A roar of laughter rang in her ears, her eyes widening in surprise. She watched as he clutched his sides and hollered, not even caring if she was there or not. Katana felt her face turn red in fury. Her eyes reduced to narrow slits as he wiped tears and grinned widely. "Really? A kunoichi?" he whistled in surprise.  
"Yes." She replied through clenched teeth. "Is something the matter?" Daitaro shook his head. "No, no." He raised a hand to comb through his dark locks. "I just think it's cute for ladies to be a kunoichi." Katana ignored the creaking protest of the armrest she was threatening to break with her grip. "Cute?" she asked, trying not to blow up at any moment. He chuckled lightly. "Yes, cute. They just look so adorable with their cheeks puffed out in determination as they try to beat their enemies. They just don't know that what makes their enemies forfeit wasn't because of their strength or skill, but because of their beauty…Don't you think so?"

He leaned in forward, his face inches away from hers. And suddenly, Katana's body stopped shaking. Her hands relaxed and her eyes softened. A gentle smile crossed her lips. "Perhaps you're right…" she stated, then stood up, and walked towards the open area of the garden. She looked back. "Say, mind helping me train?"

"Oh no. I wouldn't want to harm a delicate rose like you." Again, she gave him a small, mysterious smile. "Please?" With the way she pleaded, there was just no way he could turn her down. He stood and followed her, arms swinging confidently by his sides. "Alright. But I'm warning you", he remarked, shaking a finger at her, "I'm kind of an expert on hand-to-hand combat." She winked at him. "Then go easy me."

They started with throwing and blocking each other's punches. A faster blow was sent to the prince's face and he narrowly dodged. "Whoa!" he yelped. A chuckle escaped Katana. "Sorry, Daitaro-kun, I didn't mean that one." Daitaro smiled back nervously. The spar resumed. With each passing minute, Katana's attack became quicker and heavier.  
Panic built up in her companion's system. "K-Katana! Katana, wait!" She didn't stop. She kept on raining punches, kicks and other kinds of attacks on him, until he could dodge no more. "Ow! K-Kata—AHhhh!" Hearing the high pitched scream, an evil glint radiated off her eyes.  
She had his arms pinned behind his back, his face pressed down on the dirt. "K-Kat-tana…I-I- let's s-stop t-this, a-alr-right?" he begged, gulping audibly. She batted her eyelashes innocently. "But, Daitaro-kun", she said, "This is much more fun…" The innocent look was replaced by a wicked sneer. "How dare you insult us with your petty comments…" she seethed, pushing him down further onto the ground. The nobleman went pale.

"What do you think, Daitaro?" hissed Katana, making a grab for the hilt of her sword. "Do you still think I'm CUTE?"

* * *

A bone chilling scream was heard from inside a room, making the Kage glance at the closed door in alarm. It suddenly banged open and out stumbled a frightened man with his clothes torn and his hair disheveled. The Raikage's eyebrows shot upward. "Why, Daitaro-kun! What happened?" The rich man didn't answer, instead he pointed shakily at the room. "A m-monst—"he stuttered, but froze once he heard a voice calling him. "Daitaro-kun!" came a feminine voice from inside.  
Screaming in fear, the blue-eyed man ran away and never dared to look back. Out came Katana and scratched her head in a confused way. She turned her head to the left and mock gasped when she saw her father. "Oh, Tou-san, did you see where he went?" A blinked twice and pointed at the hallway behind him.  
She pouted. "He left so soon?" she asked out loud. "That's too bad. I was beginning to like him." A smirk graced her face. "Oh well, if he can't have fun, then he's certainly not the guy for me." She stated, walking past the taller man. The Raikage sighed in defeat and slapped a hand on his forehead.

* * *

Many weeks passed and not one of the thousand suitors succeeded in making Katana fall for them. Instead, they were successful in making her temper worsen with each passing day. It wasn't only the men's constant wooing that made her mood glum, but guilt hung heavy in her heart as well. _If Gaara hears about this…I won't forgive myself. _A knock on her door caused her to look up. Or more like glare at it.

"If you're another damned suitor then Kami help me, I will shove that bouquet down your—" The door opened, revealing a pale Darui. "—throat." She coughed lightly and composed herself. "What is it, Darui?" The man crossed him arms and answered with a disappointed grunt. "Sorry, Katana-sama, it looks like we won't be able to train today. Your fan boys managed to infiltrate the hallways." Hearing this, she groaned, slid down on the floor and hugged her knees. "What did I do wrong?" she muttered, running her hand through her hair.  
The older one crouched down and gave her a sympathetic smile. "You did nothing wrong. Raikage-sama is just not that easy to give up. He's just thinks he's doing this for your own good." Katana scowled. "I know, I know." She said, pulling her legs closer. A thought occurred to her. "If only he knew…" she sighed sadly, burrowing her head down. "Knew what?"  
Grey orbs snapped up to meet curious brown ones. She opened her mouth, only to close it again. _Could I trust him?_ She stared at the waiting jounin. He seemed unfazed, staring back at her. _Well, he did save me the trouble of beating the crap out of that last guy who jumped on me…And he was the one who distracted them so I could escape._  
Taking in a deep breath, she looked down. "The truth is, I already have someone." When she heard no reaction, she continued. "He's Sabaku no Gaara, the 5th Kazekage." She glanced at him and her eyes widened. He was smiling. He was _actually_ smiling!

"What's so funny?" she asked, confused. Darui chuckled and sat down cross-legged in front of her. "I got the feeling you were gonna say that." It took a few minutes for her to register what he said. The young brunette blushed crimson. "Y-You knew…" The blonde looked apologetic. "Yeah. I'm sorry." The latter said nothing, and still looked as if she'd faint from embarrassment any minute. "If you're wondering how I knew, I found your hidden love letters on the lower desks. And no, I was not snooping around your room. Your fan boys were."

"A-ah…"

"So, what do you plan to do now?"

She faced him. "What do you mean?" He gave her a pointed look. "I think you know. Are you going to tell your father or not?" Katana hesitated. "You know, he's not gonna stop until you tell him." he stated once more. She knew he was right. But it doesn't mean she had to like it. Grumbling, she stood up and made her way towards her father's office.

* * *

The Raikage's headquarters was silent when Katana sent her fist hard on the door. Without even waiting for an approval, she twisted the knob open, storming inside. "Kata—" A glare cut the Raikage off. She balled her hands into fists, her face morphed into pure irritation. "Tou-san", she spat, "we had a deal, didn't we? That Nomiya jerk was supposed to be the last one. So, do you care to explain to me WHY there are MEN inside the mansion?" Her father glared back. "It's not like you followed the deal either. I said, 'get to know him' not send him crying back home! Do you know how many apology letters I had to write to his father?"

Grey eyes narrowed. "I don't give a damn about your apology letters. The bastard insulted me." He rolled his eyes, unconvinced. "I'm sure he was just complementing you when you heard wrong and pounced on him."

"He called me cute!" She protested angrily. Thick eyebrows furrowed. "And what's wrong with that?"

"Everything!" said Katana, incredulous that her father didn't understand. "All those men outside that you want me to marry are creeps!" The Raikage shook his head, a deep frown present on his face. "Clearly, you're overreacting." She clicked her tongue against her teeth. "And you should mind your own business." She murmured, looking away begrudgingly. There was an uncomfortable silence. Katana's chest heaved up and down slowly, the frustration making it hard for her to calm down. Her jaws were clenched hard in anger.

An almost inaudible sigh was heard. "I won't stop until you finally find some—"

"I already have somebody." Snapped Katana. Realizing what she had said, she clamped a hand down her mouth, eyes wide. Her father turned to her in shock. "I-I…Th-that came out wrong…" she stuttered in defense. But her father didn't care now. He was too busy smiling and prodding her about it. "Who is it?" he asked her, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

"It's nobody…"

"Katana." She flinched at her father's stern voice. _Crap._ He was dead serious. "You have three seconds two tell me his name before I have those young lads outside after you." Her mouth fell open. "You're kidding." She said anxiously. He shook his head, smirking. "One."

_Shit! _"Tou-san, it's not funny."

The cunning smile grew bigger "Two."

She unsheathed her blade, already in a fighting position and ready to flee. "T-This isn't fair! I will not agree to this stupid—"

"Three!"

"It's Sabaku no Gaara!" As soon as she yelled, the time between them seemed to stop. Katana looked down, unsure of her father's reaction. "I…I love Sabaku no Gaara." She inclined her head up. Her father, the mighty Raikage, was as pale as somebody who had seen their grandmother's ghost. "T-Tou-san?" asked Katana. "Are you alright?" The Raikage shook his head stiffly. "S-Sabaku no Gaara…T-the former Ichibi vessel, currently the 5th Kazekage… right?" he inquired. Katana bit her lip guiltily and nodded. Without a warning, the proud leader fell faint.

* * *

Ever since the confession, her father had banned all men from bothering Katana. Although not exactly pleased with his daughter's choice of men, he let her go. He focused more on her training and was glad to see vast improvements with her fighting style.

One fine evening, as Katana was about to take her break, Darui handed her a sealed letter, looking grim. When she rose an eyebrow, he replied, "Urgent matter. It's from Konoha." That statement was enough to make the calm girl tear the seal apart and hastily pull the scroll open.

All it took was one sentence before Katana dashed towards her room, shouting "Tell Tou-san!" to Darui. Panic made her hands clammy as she grabbed all necessary things for traveling. She took out a scroll from the top drawer, flipping it open as she prepared a hand sign.

The statement echoed in her mind: _Konoha is under attack. We need your help._

With that, the sword mistress teleported with a cloud of smoke.

**End Chapter**


	27. Chapter 27 Pain

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 27: Pain

Pitch black darkness engulfed her. For a moment, Katana felt nothing, heard nothing. Only one thought was stuck in her mind, and it was enough to make her stay conscious. And suddenly, she could breathe again. She could hear dry leaves crumple under her feet, the scent of pines and dew filling her senses.

But it wasn't Konoha. It didn't feel like Konoha. It was just…wrong.

She ran. Grey eyes darted in every direction. A hand was placed on her sword, ready to pull it out any moment. Foreign chakra signatures popped out. She focused, counting them one by one. _Two __by __the __entrance, _she thought, jumping on tree trunks to hasten her pace.

As she came closer to the back gate, smoke and dust welcomed her. She coughed and waved away the dirty fog. The smoke dissipated and her eyes went wide. Debris and uprooted trees littered the ground. Buildings crumbled down before her, reduced to nothing but mere broken rocks. Screams and cries for help sounded from a distance, but she remained frozen on her place as she scanned the rest of the wreckage.

Her stomach lurched rebelliously. Corpses lay everywhere, close beside each other, under piles of rubbles with sharp weapons sticking out of them. A lump formed in Katana's throat. Those faces, bloody and pale… she knew these people. They were her comrades, her senpais and seniors. They were Konoha shinobi. Her chest tightened in…what? Sadness? Rage? Pain? She didn't know. Thoughts in her mind were scattered.

"You there."

She whirled around and met a pair of swirling violet eyes. A sudden chill waved over her and she shuddered involuntarily, unable to look away. The gaze held power, power beyond her grasp.

She can almost feel it drilling into her soul, taking every bit of what she had. "Where is the nine-tailed jinchuuriki?"

Snapping out of her trance, she glared at the man, masking her vulnerability. "I don't know." Her eyes darted down on the familiar pattern of his dark cloak. A grimace appeared on her face. "You're from Akatsuki…" she whispered, the mention of the infamous group making her blood boil.

"Indeed, I am." Confirmed the orange-haired man, moving closer.

Katana in return, took a wary step back. "Why have you come here?" she demanded, rage replacing her earlier dread. He ignored her question and once again asked, "Where is the jinchuuriki? Answer me." A metal rod slid down from one of his sleeves and into his grip. She shook her head stubbornly. "I won't tell you anything." His gaze narrowed. "I see." He droned out before vanishing from Katana's sight. The brunette drew out her sword as she made her breathing shallow in order to detect the slightest change in her surroundings.

Something charged towards her in a blur. She sidestepped just in time to avoid the stab the man delivered. She aimed a swing for his head. Her opponent ducked and slashed downward, but she jumped back, putting distance between them. The man eyed her as he stood up slowly. "Your fighting skill is impressive." He said in a monotone, never taking his ringed orbs off her form. "But I've had enough games." He charged for her again.

Katana did a hand seal. "Junsei Kurayami!" Black fumes covered her up, but the Akatsuki member ran through it anyway. Grey eyes widened as she saw him thrust the rod in her direction. She blocked, aiming a downward kick. He leapt backwards and closed in again, swiping at her. The silver blade and metal rod clashed together, emitting a shrill noise. Little by little the poisonous smoke cleared, leaving the two of them in a lock.

The man towered over Katana's shorter form, looking down on her with his hypnotic stare. The girl glared back persistently, anger fueling her courage. But no matter how much force she exerted, her enemy was still stronger, pushing her down without much effort. Unexpectedly, she stopped fighting and let him shove her. Landing roughly on her back, she kicked his jaw for good measure. She stood up while he was distracted, her breath coming out heavy. When she turned to look at him again, he was gone.

The furrowing of her eyebrows deepened. "This is it." Jerking her head to the left, she saw him thrust in the rod on her. She dropped down on her knees, eyes wide before disappearing with a 'poof'.

The real Katana came out behind a wrecked wall. The orange-haired man glanced at her. "How clever of you…" he stated dryly, before attacking once more. Katana stayed in her place, gathering a large amount of chakra in her hands. She waited as he went nearer and nearer, until he was only in her reach. Quickly doing a seal, a tiger's roar sounded just as she aimed her fist for his face. _I'__ve __got __him!_

As her hand was inches away from him, she again met his odd eyes. Her muscles froze and her breath hitched. Time seemed to stop as she drowned in his cold gaze. She struggled to turn away, but it pulled her closer, deeper into an abyss of darkness. For the first time of her life, Katana was unable to push away the fear that threatened to consume her alive.

The feeling of pain brought her back to reality. Her aim had missed, and the metal rod sliced a smooth long cut on her stomach. Her mouth opened slightly in a silent scream, but no sound came out. For the final touch, the guy delivered a kick to her new wound. Katana fell on dirt, her hand pressing down on the injury. Blood oozed out in a hasty pace.  
With her free hand, she held her sword with a shaky grip. The man loomed before her, staring down in pity. "I will ask you one last time: Where can I find the nine-tailed jinchuuriki? Tell me and I will let you live."

She dared look up into his hollow orbs for one last time. Fear and uncertainty glinted off her eyes, but she managed a mocking smile. "I won't tell you."

His blank expression never faltered. "So be it." And he struck down. She brought her sword up in her defense, not that it would make much of a difference. The rod came closer and closer until it was only inches apart from her forehead. Then, it stopped. Katana found herself staring at the sharp point of the rod, blood dripping down from it. Her heart skipped a beat. What had happened?

"Sorry I'm late."

_That voice…_

Her savior stood by the side, his hand holding the gory rod in a death grip. For once, his head protector was up, revealing two mismatched eyes. Though his face held his usually 'cool' look, his glare was glazed with unmistakable resentment. "Seems like you gave my daughter quite some trouble, Pain." Stated Kakashi, his tone steely cold. Without bothering to reply, Pain aimed a roundhouse kick for his head. The jounin ducked, slamming his hands down on the ground. A ten-foot tall earth wall surrounded them from behind the enemy's back. The Akatsuki member lunged, stabbing Kakashi on his shoulder.

The masked man winced. Hanging on to the piece of metal buried within him, he charged, a raikiri forming in his hand. Katana watched as his body went rigid, as if something caused him to stop. His chakra-infused hand ended up on the wall. "Hatake Kakashi…It's an honor to meet you." Rumbled the man in his deep voice. "Where is the nine-tailed beast?" A hard lump lodged on Katana's throat again. _I __have __to __help __him. __Fast._

Hastily, she let her hand glow with chakra, doing a basic healing jutsu that she learned. The bleeding had stopped for quite sometime, but the wound was still open. The girl hissed as her chakra came in contact with the flesh, forcing it to close.

Kakashi snorted, pulling away. "That's a stupid question." He remarked, running towards the cloaked man with another raikiri. Katana's head shot up. "Tou-san, don't!" A sudden force exploded from Pain, sending the silver-haired man flying away. The earth wall behind him crumbled down from the impact. Everything around him was completely destroyed.

Pushing away the bricks that buried her, Katana saw her father throw a lightning attack towards the man. Pain made no movement whatsoever, standing calmly in the clearing. The moment it came in contact with him, the jutsu dispersed into the thin air. _Repelling __both __taijutsu __and __ninjutsu__…__What __the __hell __is __he?_ Said the sword wielder to herself, her eyes narrowing in thought.

A crushing sound was heard, causing both ninjas to look back. Another Akatsuki member appeared, black spikes on his orange head. Like Pain, his face was also covered in piercings, his eyes an endless spinning violet. "Another one, eh?" muttered Kakashi under his breath and glanced at his daughter.

"Whatever shall we do?" he asked aloud. Grey eyes met his lone obsidian orb. Her gaze shifted to the newcomer's direction then back to him. He winked. An inaudible sigh escaped her lips. _I __hope __this__'__ll __work._ "Junsei Kurayami!" A cloud of poison obscured the whole area, this time thick enough to prevent one from seeing anything. With her eyes closed, Katana concentrated hard, looking for the strong line of chakra. _There!_ She lunged to her right, swiping madly, only to feel an empty space. _Damn __it! __Did __it __already __wear __off? _

She opened one eye, only to shut it back hastily. A stinging sensation brought it to water, the dark fog irritating her eye. _It__'__s __still __there. __So __how __did __he __know __where __I __was?_ Feeling him to her right, she thrust in but missed. She attacked for the third time, raining down blows on the enemy, but not landing a single one on him. When the fog dispelled, she jumped back, standing beside the jounin. She let out uneven puffs of air.

"Well, your plan didn't work…" she whispered lowly, worry lacing her voice, "What now?"

"We fight one on one."

A hesitant nod answered Kakashi. "Alright. But what if—" Katana froze in mid-sentence, her words cut short as she watched the other member's head morph in a disgusting way. Two more heads sprung up from both sides of his face and he ripped off his cloak, revealing a freakish body with four other arms and a long tail of razor. She fought the urge to throw up. An intense power grabbed the two, pulling them towards Pain. Their planted feet on the ground slid off easily, carrying them as if they weigh a feather. With all her might, Katana brought down her sword, embedding it securely on the ground. She reached back, and called for Kakashi's attention. The older man grasped on a metal chain, his lower half being dragged towards them. Cautiously, he extended an arm, trying to get hold of Katana's hand.

The latter stretched on further, ignoring how her muscles ached. "Come on now, Tou-san…" she whispered encouragingly, sweat traveling down her forehead. "You can…make it…" At last, she felt their fingers brush slightly. Leaning forward, she grabbed his gloved hand, holding it tightly. "That's it, Tou-san… I've got you." Despite their situation, Katana couldn't help but smile hopefully. "I've got you." It faded away however, when she felt her grip on the hilt loosening. Pain seemed to sense her discomfort and the force intensified, sharply tugging them down. Katana flinched as her hand slipped on the handle, her numb fingers crying for ease.

Kakashi's eyebrows creased. "Katana…" he said, scrutinizing her trembling grasp. "Let me go." The younger shinobi looked at him incredulously. "What? No!"

"Let me go." He repeated, in a tone more commanding than before. "You can't hold us both."

She glared at him. "Yes, I can." It was nothing more than a lie; she knew he was aware of it. But she bit her lip and heaved both of them up, disregarding her chalk-white knuckles. It proved to be harder as Kakashi struggled to get out of her grip. She squeezed his hand, looking at him desperately. Kakashi returned it with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry." And he jerked away, leaving his glove in her fist.

"Tou-san!" screamed Katana as she tried to seize him, but he slithered downwards, his Sharingan wide as the blade-like tail of the monster pierced through his back. His figure altered and glided, bolts of lightning taking his place instead. The Akatsuki member shuddered, the large amount of electricity surging inside him. Out of the blue, two giant fists hit the ground, pummeling said enemy. Pain had gotten away just in time. The hands shrunk and two big-built males landed. "One down, Kakashi!" called out the older Akimichi. A sound came from the pile of rubble behind and Katana snapped her head to its direction.

"I had a back-up plan on my mind. But you guys just saved me a whole lot of chakra." Said Kakashi from under the wreck. He was covered in scratches and faint bruises, sweat and dirt clinging to his face like a second skin but otherwise, he was fine. Katana exhaled in the form of a heavy sigh, closing her eyes in embarrassment. So _that_ was why he told her to let go.

Grabbing the handle, she pulled it out forcibly, leaving her hands throbbing and her arms sore. She had been stupid enough to think that he would be so reckless as to get himself killed. She could hear the footsteps of their back-up nearing. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and swallowed. It's just that the mental image of him being skewered by that—_that _thing brought out panic; something a shinobi should not show under any circumstances. She hadn't trained so relentlessly for the past few months just so she could lose control in a time like this.

A hand was brought down on her shoulder. She flinched, making the Sharingan user recoil. "You okay?" Concern made his deep voice sound softer. She nodded half-heartedly, casting her eyes down at her feet. "I'm fine." She answered and frowned at how fake she had sounded. Kakashi seemed to be unconvinced, asking her again, "How's your chakra level?" She chose not to answer and instead, gathered up chakra to activate her curse. The black and gold tinted orbs spoke for her.

"Dad!" warned Chouji from the side. "Here he comes!" the rest of the team tensed and got ready, running towards Pain all at once. Another enormous wave of energy blew against them. Kunais and shuriken flew. Jutsu rendered useless. Throwing an exploding tag attached to a kunai, Chouza took cover behind an overturned pillar. The bomb went off but the orange-haired man stood in the center, unharmed.

"What did he do?" questioned Chouji's father, panting. "He's deflecting all attacks." Explained Kakashi, wiping the soot from the bridge of his nose. "Like a magnet, he can pull or push anything from his center, controlling gravity and repulsion forces. Though his ability is powerful", he said, "it has a weakness. There seems to be an interval for each use of the jutsu."

Chouza knitted his eyebrows. "But if the interval is too short, we can't get close to him." There was a knowing glint in his Sharingan. "I have an idea and I need your help." Katana hid a grimace while he relayed the details. _Your __ideas __had __always __hurt __you_, she wanted to say, but didn't. "Alright. Everyone, in your positions please." Both Akimichi jumped off. She set the thought aside and crouched low behind the large column, peeking outside.

The ground under Pain cracked, and out came the jounin with a kunai, threatening to plunge it into him. He recovered fast, however, and Kakashi was sent skidding off far from him. "You certainly have a vast knowledge of jutsu. Failing to kill you would mean trouble for me." Stated the Akatsuki, raising his metal rod. Before he could bring it down, two rolling boulders came towards him from either side. "Too slow." He said, his hands creating a somewhat invisible barrier that prevented them from coming any closer. The two men stopped spinning, grabbing the chain that he didn't notice earlier. They pulled, trapping Pain in the middle.

Kakashi ran, the lightning blade in his hand sending off sparks. Katana strained her eyes to see clearer. He was so near…so near to ending it all. There was a swift change in the air, a movement that she almost missed. Without waiting for the signal, she did a seal and vanished. She emerged behind Pain, holding up the arm that had the electricity shaped into a claw.

Patterned eyes narrowed as her suspicions were proved correct: the other member had blocked the attack. She charged for Pain's back and felt her fist bury deep into something. Blood splattered to her face and clothes and she looked up. It wasn't Pain at all. Her hand speared the freak's back. Something caught her eye by the side. It was Kakashi's hand, coming from the front. But where was Pain?

"Shinra Tensei…"

Katana stiffened at the whisper. Before she could even know what was happening, she found her back slammed violently against a wall. She could feel her head pounding aggressively, as if someone had knocked her out with a steel hammer. Her vision blurred until everything made no sense at all. She shook her head, pain coursing through her veins. Something warm and ran down on her split lips. Her tongue retracted at its metallic taste: blood. Her blood. Though shaky and unstable, Katana pushed herself up on her feet, stumbling over to the cleared area.

Pain was nowhere to be found. "Damn it!" she seethed in frustration. _All __that __effort__…__and __for __nothing!_ Keeping her temper in check, she looked around for any signs of the silver-haired man. "Tou-san!" she called out, her throat parched and aching. "Tou-san, where are you?" There was a groan from her far left. She staggered, paying no attention to her exhaustion.

"Chouji!" she said, hope filling her as soon as she saw him sprawled on the rocks. Kneeling down, she hauled him up gently. "K-Katana-chan?" he mumbled groggily, coughing. "You're okay, big guy. You're okay." She encouraged, patting his shoulder. He had a few injuries and minor gashes, here and there. "Come on; help me find your father and Kakashi-sensei." He nodded, his spiky brown hair flowing with the movement. They stood up and parted ways, trying to find their missing comrades. Chouji found Chouza instantly, rushing to his father's aid.

Katana, on the other hand, couldn't catch a sight of Kakashi anywhere. "Katana! Kakashi-sensei's here!" The latter didn't waste another minute and ran, losing her balance along the way.

"Chouji, where—" She halted, staring with wide eyes. Her blood ran cold. "Kakashi-sensei…" He turned at the mention of his name, giving Katana a better look at his face. Blood ran down from his forehead, some of his silver locks clinging to it and turning crimson. His Sharingan was half-lidded, obviously abused. Half of his body was buried underneath the broken fragments.

"Katana…" he murmured weakly. "You and Chouji…you must go to T-Tsunade-sama…Tell her of Pain's—Pain's abilities. You have to find…a way to fight him." The order went unregistered by her mind. She dropped to her knees, digging him out furiously. "Katana!" the jounin rasped, narrowing his hooded eye. "You've gotta go! Run!"

"Not without you. You need to see Tsunade-sama as well." She said persistently, focusing on the pile of rubble. Unshed tears stung her eyes but she fought them back, still digging. "Katana!" yelled the man in such a sharp tone that Chouji shrunk back. This time, she faced him, glaring pigheadedly. "I won't leave you!" she replied, water brimming on her eyelids. "Chouji can go, but you can't make me leave you!" Her response was childish, immature. "A shinobi should never place their emotions in the way of their mission!" Stated Kakashi, but she cut him off. "I don't give a damn!"

"You sure are persistent." The trio's heads shot upwards. The smashed monster came to life, a missile coming out of his back. "Run Chouji!" barked Katana, charging her hand with another lightning jutsu. She made a mad dash for the enemy, her gaze promising much gore and violence.

The rocket was launched, chasing after Chouji. Katana's hand collided with the Akatsuki member's body, sending a hundred volts of electricity. He shuddered uncontrollably, smoke coming out of him. He dropped down, limp. Katana glanced at Chouji again, the rocket right by his side. "Chouji!" she shouted in panic. The brunette boy turned to her in confusion. She returned it with the same look. Where had it gone? The trail of smoke that came from the weapon was still floating in the air. She stood still, trying to comprehend the scene. _Vanishing __so __suddenly__…__just __like__…__how __Tou-san__'__s __Mangekyo __Sharingan __works__…_

Realization hit her late. She whirled around and raced, not wanting to believe her own thoughts. There laid Kakashi, his scarred eye struggling to remain open. His breathing was shallow, too shallow for a normal person. He was ghostly-pale and terribly cold, the blood gushing out like a river. With all her might, dragged him out of the wreckage, kicking the heavy rocks that trapped his legs. She rested him gently on the floor, brushing away his bloodstained bangs.

"Y-You're going to be fine. I promise." She blurted out, more to herself than to him. Gathering her chakra, a golden glow emitted from her palms, healing some of the cuts and bruises that he had. But it wasn't doing anything to help him in his current condition. Katana knew. She knew and she was terrified.  
"S-Stay with me, Tou-san…" she whispered, glancing back and forth at her hands and at his face. His eye flickered at her. Slowly, he brought his hand up and caressed her face. Katana shivered under his icy touch. It descended down to her eye, to the bridge of her nose and down her chin.

She looked at him, her gaze scared stiff and frantic. "Tou-san…" her tone spoke a silent plea. _Please__…_

He gave her one of his signature masked smile, replying in return. 'I'm sorry…'

His arm fell to his side, his eye closing and finally, succumbing into darkness. The brunette beside him had her eyes fixed on him, wide with shock. Hatake Kakashi, the man who took her under his care and became her father…was dead.

Something hit her in the chest. It stung, aching so terribly. "This is…" she started, finding the right word. "…pain." It rolled off her tongue, leaving a bitter aftertaste. "Pain…" The shaken girl clenched her fists and rose like a robot, sauntering towards the creature that lay motionless on the ground. She glowered at it, a crazed look in her black and gold orbs. "You're not dead."

The Akatsuki member craned its neck at her direction. "But he is." He said bluntly, a snort of amused laughter rumbling from his mouth.

She kicked him in the face. Then, bending down with a silent whisper of "Dendou Tsume", she let the claw puncture his chest slowly before sliding it all the way down to cut his body apart. With the other hand, she swiped at his face. Other than hers, no other chakra signature was present in the area. The monster was dead as well. Her stoic face consorted into a hard grimace.

"Why…" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "Why does it still hurt…?" She clenched her teeth and screamed, her bare fists pounding on the hard corpse. She punched and punched, watching as his face became disfigured and tarnished with blood from her skinned knuckles.

Closing her eyes, the tears that she held back fell. Katana clutched her head with her bloody hands, crying desperately.

"Why, Tou-san? Why…?"

**End Chapter**

* * *

Whew. Finally! I thought I'd never finish this. Anyway, enjoy reading, people. And please, comment! Your opinions fuel my ideas.

~KatanaSabaku


	28. Chapter 28 Strength to Protect

**Author's Note:**

**FINALLY!** I thought I'd never finish this chapter. Aside from the terrible writer's block I've been diagnosed with, our teachers decided to give us projects during Christmas vacation. It was such a pain in the ass. T_T Anyway, I'm done ranting now, so, ENJOY!

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 28: Strength to Protect

Shinobi rule number 4: A shinobi must always put the mission first…

"…No matter what happens." Ended the kunoichi in a hoarse voice, sprinting through the endless ocean of debris, scanning the area for any trace of danger. An inaudible sigh escaped her blistered lips. Whether it was the shinobi laws or her willpower that kept her running, she didn't know. All she knew was that she couldn't hang around crying all day while the whole village was in chaos. "_Stay focused, girl. I can't have you dying because of an undetected kunai flying through your brain."_ The statement was followed by a cruel snicker, a scowl readily forming in her face. "Thanks for your concern." She remarked dryly, pushing the heels of her sandaled-feet against broken rocks to boost her speed. _"Just trying to help, that's all"_, she heard the voice inside her say in a sing-song voice. It irked her to no end. "Well stop trying to, because it doesn't help at all."

"_If you would only allow me to take cont—"_

"No." answered Katana in a hard tone before the latter can even finish. "I won't let you take control of my body. I've said it before and I'll repeat it again: No." An exasperated groan responded to her from inside. _"It was just a suggestion. There's no need to get all riled up. You've been extra bitchy since Kakashi died, you know that?" _There was a sudden hitch of breath that lodged on her throat. Distracted, she stumbled on a shard of glass. She winced at the newly earned wound on her ankle; the stinging sensation did nothing to calm her irate mood. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she set her gaze straight, her mouth clamped shut in a thin line. There was silence on the latter's side. _"…I know losing that old man is a big deal for you—"_

Katana didn't bother to stop the explosive groan that had been itching to get out. "Can't you just shut up? I'm tired. I'm wounded. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about anything. And most of all, I don't want to hear you speak about the matter, especially when you don't have the slightest clue about what I feel." She can't help but snap, once again cutting off her look alike. "_Fine. If that's how you want_ it", spat the curse,_ "then that's how it will be…But I thought you said I felt the same way? Because, you are me…as I am you. Isn't that right?"_ At this, the girl fell utterly quiet, casting her eyes down to her feet. After minutes of waiting, the curse didn't pry anymore, knowing it wouldn't get a satisfying answer anyway. It sank to the depths of her mind again, leaving Katana to contemplate on what it said.

Buildings and barely standing structures entered her vision, a good sign that meant she was nearing to the Hokage's Tower. Releasing another breath, she reached out and applied a bit of chakra on her shoulder to ease the tight knots. "I am you, huh? Honestly…I don't know who _I _am anymore…" she muttered, ash-dull eyes facing staring forward.

"Konohamaru!"

The sudden yell caused her to screech into a halt in alarm. "Konohamaru…" she mumbled and ran east, hoping that she wouldn't be too late.

* * *

"Run, Konohamaru!" shouted Ebisu, stepping in front to defend the boy. The orange-haired man charged. Kunais and shurikens bared, the man braised himself for his death. A single kick sent him crashing against a mountain of rocks, the piles of rubble burying him. Groaning and coughing, he failed to notice the enemy approach and Pain grabbed him by the neck. "Sensei!" Konohamaru yelled in panic, gawking helplessly as his mentor writhed stubbornly from under the tight grip. "Where is Uzumaki Naruto? Tell me." Ebisu swallowed thickly and his gaze darted towards Konohamaru, sending a silent order, _Run._ He looked back at his captor, glaring at him weakly from behind the dark glasses.

"I…I don't know." Pain's eyes narrowed. "Then you will die." Before the threat was completely delivered, violet eyes shot open, blood spraying out of his mouth and on Ebisu's horrified face. The hold on his neck loosened until the man's hand fell down, along with the rest of his limp body collapsing before the jounin. Dark crimson liquid surrounded him. His insides coiled at the reek of the corpse.

"Are you alright, Ebisu-sensei?"

Startled, the teacher jerked his head up at his savior, squinting to in disbelief. "K-Katana-chan?" It took a couple of stunned seconds before a second reaction ignited, starting with Konohamaru choking a gasp and running to hug her. "Katana-nee-chan!" he sobbed, tears of relief soaking the brunette's torn clothes. A hand reached down to gently pat his head. "I'm sorry you had to see that…" She pulled back and kneeled, examining his face for any injuries. "Konohamaru", she said, wiping the boy's tear-stained cheeks, "I want you to go help your sensei find a medic. Then, head to a safe place, alright?" He nodded and walked off, still looking a bit shaken. "What about you, Katana-chan?"

Without glancing at the older man, Katana curtly answered, "I'll be fine." Ebisu frowned. "Are you sure? You look sort of pale." She faced him and the jounin suppressed a shudder. Her face was drained of color, blemished by droplets of blood. The sleeves of her shirt were torn and ripped, her arms bruised purple. Lips were split. Knuckles were broken. She was a wreck but it wasn't her appearance that troubled him most. The girl's eyes were hollow and blank, like two endless voids without hope or spark. She witnessed death for the first time, he realized. Even with the collected demeanor she showed, she was just another newbie on the killing field.

Katana didn't bother to reply to his question. Leaving Konohamaru to support the limping jounin, she ran through the wreckage, jumping on fallen buildings to hasten her pace. Not long after, she dashed on the walls of the Hokage tower and reached the roof top. "Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama, I—" Words were suddenly stuck in her throat as she stared straight bumps appeared on her arms. The Hokage turned back, eyes widening at the sight of her. "Katana, what are you doing here?" The question went unrecognized. All she took in was the image of the orange-haired man floating in the air, declaring about pain, hatred and war.

Scenes of their previous battle replayed over and over on her brain, reminding her of blood, dirt and screams, along with the image of a dead _someone_… She banished the thought. "Hokage-sama, I'm here to report about two of Pain's identity. One has five piercings on his face and six on top of his head. His head and arms can multiply into three and has a saw-like tail. He has the ability to shoot missiles from his back. The second one had seven piercings on his face, three on each ear. Both are dead." Tsunade gave a nod. "Good work. But I fear we have been a little too late." Grimly, she looked up at Pain's airborne form. Eyes following her gaze, Katana instinctively wrapped a hand on the hilt of her sword. The sides of her mouth tugged downward.

"I want you to feel pain, to know pain and accept pain." Stated the orange-haired Akatsuki from above. The ANBU guards took a step forward, muscles tense in alarm. "Katana, get out of here." Ordered the master medic before dashing forward. "Pain!" Tsunade yelled, head thrust upwards as she tried to get his attention. Katana's eyes narrowed in suspicion, mouth set on a thin line. _What is he planning?_

There was something in the way he raised his arms, looking down on Konoha like a god delivering judgment. It brought a nauseating feeling of danger, a strong urge to run and hide. "I will give the world more pain…" A sheer whisper, promising much agony and tears.

"Shinra—"Eyes flew open, gears in her head turning in comprehension. He was going to destroy Konoha.

"—Tensei."

"NO!"

A blinding light flashed in every direction, the rumbling sound of destruction reaching their ears. Buildings collapsed, walls caved in. The shattering of glass combined with terrified screams all at once were almost too much to bear. Violent gusts of wind carried off broken chunks of bricks and the earth trembled under their feet, its surface cracking and breaking apart in sharp jagged rocks. Dust mixed with the air, fogging over the place as the shaking of the ground ceased.

* * *

Katana pushed off the heavy boulder that lay on top of her, coughing harshly as dust irritated her lungs. As the hacking ended, she dropped down stock-still on the ground, breathing erratically in quiet wheezes. Her eyelids were shut close, feeling too heavy and tired to lift them up. A headache found its way to her brain, mercilessly pounding in her head. The impact of the jutsu left her body with a tingling ache. _Have to…get up…_

A wisp of cold air blew across her face, sharp and rushed. Her eyes flew open and she rolled reflexively just as a metal rod was brought down to where she was before. She jumped away to a safe distance, her breath heavy and ragged. Pain had his eyes on her, staring coldly. "You just keep avoiding death, don't you?" he asked, charging towards her. Quickly wrenching out her sword, Katana blocked and sidestepped, staggering as she tried to fend him off. As feeble as she felt right now, Katana knew he had the upper hand.

_Distance…I need to get away from him._

With a hasty punch throw to his direction, Pain broke their locked weapons and took a step back. The girl took the opportunity to move farther from him, soothing her tense muscles with the momentary break. The man straightened, opening his mouth to speak, "The sooner you surrender, the sooner your pain will end."

"No", answered Katana, out of breath and heaving, "you'll never make me give up. I will fight with everything I have…for Konoha."

"For Konoha?" echoed Pain in question, looking at her blankly. "Look around." Though doubtful about the order, she scanned the dim area. A chill ran down her spine and she shuddered involuntarily, her gaze glued to the gaping crater…one that was previously known as Konoha. If the village had been at its worst when she had been conscious, then its current status should be equivalent to nothing at the moment. Once lively structures were reduced to rubble. No buildings were in vicinity, no houses or stores left standing. She could literally see the other side of the village from where she currently stood.

Even with her mouth slightly parted, no sound came out. Grey orbs were wide as they took in everything, from the mountains of ruin to the cracks in the ground. Her form shook, face horror-stricken; Tears prickled her orbs as they stared out at the empty clearing, agonizing anguish squeezing her chest. She felt as if she'd been stabbed a hundred times and then was thrown out in the open, left alone to bleed to death and for the birds to eat. Everything…was gone. "N-No…T-This c-can't be…"

"That's right. Your little village is gone. Painful, isn't it? To have something so important to you…" he glanced down at a crumbling rock, crushing it with his foot. "…be taken away for good."

Katana's moist eyes narrowed, her face turning tight. Losing the temporarily acquired muteness, the crease in her forehead deepened, rage taking over her. "You." She said, fisting her broken knuckles shakily. It was one word, but it held more emotion than one could express. Hatred churned restlessly in the pit of her stomach. "You…did this." Murky darkness clouded around her form like a veil as her irises became a darker shade of grey. "This—this is all your fault…" Pain lunged for her.

"You bastard!"

Powerful chakra exploded throughout the expanse, blowing away everything near her. The orange-haired Akatsuki member stopped short, digging his feet onto the ground to not get carried off. Black flames engulfed Katana, golden patterns marring any exposed flesh. She rushed towards him, canines bared and hands balled in steel fists. She punched and clawed, screaming incoherent words. "My home! My friends and comrades! Kakashi-sensei…You took them all away!"

Tears as dark as ink left a broken trail down her gold-veined cheeks. Katana could feel her control, or what was left of it, slipping away as she rained down attacks on Pain, not once dodging the stabs or blows he gave back. Consumed by the loathing in her heart, the patterns and markings became more apparent against her skin. It scarred her face beyond recognizable and what remained was a monster in the likeness of her original appearance. There was nothing more she wanted than to fight Pain, defeat Pain…_kill_ Pain for all the agony he gave her.

A sudden explosion caused the two of them to break apart. A sliver of reality hit her fuzzy mind through the fury that confused it and she shook her head. She took in a sharp intake of breath, letting it out as a ragged gasp. The golden streaks across her face disappeared. Although the obsidian fog around her diminished, her wide eyes still burned with intensity and bloodlust. Katana stared at the three gigantic toads that came out of nowhere, eyes trailing upward and to the person standing on the head of the red frog. She squinted, disbelieving.

"Naruto?" Her voice was scratchy, coming out of a parched throat, but hopeful, as if any minute now he'd vanish and all of it will be just another mirage. The blonde atop spun at the mention of his name, searching pointlessly until he looked down. His red-ringed eyes widened at the sight of her. "Katana-chan…"

"Well, this certainly saves us the time we need to look for you."

Hearing the voice, Katana's enraged expression returned again. She ran around the frogs, stood her ground in front of them and glowered at Pain. He was battered and bruised, long scratches covering him as a result of their fight. He wiped blood off the side of his mouth with his shredded sleeve. The five other Pain appeared by his side, each one possessing the same pair of violet orbs.

"Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade descended down in front of Katana, her feet landing smoothly on the dirt. The two teens turned to her in surprise. "Hokage-sama!" called out an ANBU guard that ran after her, jumping down to pull her away from the battlefield. The blonde Sannin ignored him, gaze fixed angrily at the middle Pain. "I am the fifth Hokage", she declared, chest rising up and down in heavy pants, "and I will never forgive you for crushing the dreams and hopes of those who ruled before me! As Hokage, I will put a stop to you right now!"

"It's good to see that you finally understand a little of my pain. But I have no use for you. The one I want…" Katana barely caught a flicker of movement from the side as he trailed off. Without hesitation, she took hold of Tsunade's wrist and yanked her back, switching their positions as one of the Pain dove for her. There was a loud crash as Naruto smashed the Akatsuki member flat on the ground with one hit. "…Is me, right?" He finished for Pain, glancing up, challenging him. His audience stared at him, eyes wide and incredulous. _For him to finish off that guy in one hit…He must have gotten insanely strong…_

"Don't bother with these guys, Tsunade-obaa-chan." Naruto offered as he rose, studying his enemies before him. "Why don't you go and drink tea or something close to it?" With a snap of his fingers, he called," Gamakichi!" A large toad, slightly smaller than the previous three, jumped down behind them. "Take obaa-chan to a safe place." The frog gave a croaky 'gotcha' at the request. "Baa-chan, let me handle this. Tell the others not to interfere. It'll be hard to fight while protecting them at the same time." Though reluctant, the older woman nodded. "Alright. But take Katsuyu with you", she said, holding out a small slug, "she knows a bit about the enemy."

Katana accepted the assistance from Tsunade's outstretched hand, placing the white and blue creature on Naruto's shoulder. When Naruto spoke up for the second time, his voice held uncertainty. "This…may not be the best time to ask but I can feel everyone's chakra here—my senses are sharp due to the natural chakra flowing inside me." Again, he paused and the hesitant edge increased. He took a deep breath before talking again, "Is Kakashi-sensei away on a mission?" As soon as the words rolled off his tongue, Katana stiffened reflexively. The shadow around her grew dark once more, moisture stinging her eyes as she fought down a grimace.

Tsunade made no answer. All she could do was glance at the young kunoichi apologetically before looking down. "Do you know where he is, Katana-chan?" asked Naruto. Refusing to acknowledge the Sannin, Katana swallowed hard and forced the obscuring darkness behind a calm facade. Fisted hands flexed and dropped by her sides. "He's dead, Naruto." The statement hit her hard, like a blow in the gut. No matter how much effort she put in, she failed to hide the desperation in her tone. "He got into a fight with Pain." _And I couldn't even save him…_ Naruto's shoulders tensed visibly. "I see." His voice was hollow this time, losing its peacefulness. Katana cursed inwardly. She just had to discourage him even more so. "I'm sorry", She said quickly, "I didn't mean to be harsh. I thought I—"

"It's okay." He craned his head slightly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. The brunette withdrew, taken aback. There was no anger with the way he looked at her, no regret or disappointment. All she saw was worry and a silent question of 'how are you feeling?'. _Just like Kakashi-sensei's eyes…_Unable to bear the resemblance, she averted her gaze, holding back the emotions. _I will not cry. Not this time._

"I'm sorry." Katana's eyes snapped up in surprise, startled by the arms that pulled her into an embrace. Her body tensed reflexively. The blonde boy rested his head on her shoulder, heaving a deep breath. "I'm sorry that you had to go through this…I didn't mean to cause this much trouble." His voice was sincere, erasing any doubtful thoughts in her mind. Naruto gave her a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, Katana-chan. Just let it go." Slowly, she relaxed under his touch, bringing her hands up hug him back. Katana could feel her anger melting away, the flames of hate inside her dying out, leaving only ashes of grief. "It's not your fault, Naruto…I was the one who couldn't do anything."

"That's not true. You did everything you can." _And it seems that even my everything is not enough…_She released a sigh. Naruto pulled back and fixed his yellow amphibian-like eyes on her. "Now it's my turn. You should rest." A crease in her forehead deepened and she stared at him blankly, contemplating. "Please, Katana-chan." Katana shook her head with a snort, eyes returning to their silver-gray shade. "You always did hog the spotlight, didn't you, Naruto?" Amusement flashed the blonde's face before he turned his back against her.

"Gamakichi, take Katana-chan with you and get going." A large, specked hand grabbed her torso, lifting her up easily. With an enormous leap, they escaped the battlefield just in time before Pain launched a head-on assault. The frog collided neatly with a mountain of rubble, clutching Katana securely in one hand, Tsunade in the other. He set them down on the pile of broken rocks. "Tsunade-sama!" Turning to the direction of the voice, Katana saw her friend run towards them. She glanced at the blonde woman by her side. Tsunade looked weary, her young face becoming wrinkled. Strands of gray hair mixed with her yellow locks.

Sakura kneeled in front of her mentor and held her hand. "It's alright now, Sakura…" murmured the old woman weakly, beads of sweat running down her face. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. Everything's going to be fine." Agreed the girl, holding Tsunade. The older woman closed her eyelids, hand dropping down. Sakura sighed, adjusting her master's form on the ground. She looked up at the brunette, smiling sadly. "It's good to see you alive." Snapping out of a daze, Katana's look on Sakura softened. "I'm glad you are, too." Glancing around, Katana stood up, wincing as she started to feel the after-effects of her curse. Arms and legs feeling like lead, she wobbled with the first few steps. "Come on, Sakura. The others need help."

The cherry-haired girl nodded. "Hai."

* * *

Three forms huddled close together in a small ground, large debris surrounding them. A large explosion sounded from a distance and Shikamaru's head snapped up. "What's happening over there?" he asked in alarm, clutching his injured leg. "It's Naruto." Gurgled Katsuyu from behind him. "Naruto?" he turned to the summon with an incredulous look, "He's back?"

"Hai. He mastered the sage techniques and is fighting Pain alone. No one is to interfere." The boy clicked his tongue against his teeth in frustration. "Why's he trying to act cool? The village is already a mess! If he fights alone—"

"No." Shikamaru gave his father a confused glance. "If it's true that he mastered the sage techniques, then he's strong enough to fight someone like Pain. The best thing we can do now is lay low and wait."

"Not entirely, Commander."

Both males turned to see a pair of kunoichi heading their way. Shikaku's grim face lit up. "Why, if it isn't Sakura-chan and Katana-chan!" he said with a relieved smile. Sakura bowed to him in respect before approaching Shikamaru. Katana bowed as well and followed suit. She crouched down beside the medic and another woman, who were busy examining Shikamaru's leg. "What happened?" she asked, turning to him. The younger Nara had a frown on his face. "Broke my leg when Pain destroyed the village." He huffed irritably. Katana feigned a horrified expression. "Really? That sounds painful." Shikamaru grunted, rolling his eyes as he hid a smirk. "Oh please. This is nothing compared to yours."

"Not going to deny it." she said and shrugged.

Turning serious again, he glimpsed at her from the corner of his eye. "I didn't know you were in Konoha."

"I wasn't." answered Katana, "I was in Kumogakure when I received Konoha's letter for help. I ran here as fast as I could." Shikamaru used the back of his hand to wipe off the dirt on his cheek. "It was awful." He muttered. Katana made no comment about it. Silence stretched on the group for a minute, until Sakura raised her head to face them. "It seems like a minor fracture." She told them. "Unfortunately, I don't think I have enough chakra left to mend it, Shikamaru. With my chakra level right now, the best I can do is heal a few cuts and bruises." The boy sighed, hands shooting up to cover his face. Sakura managed a weak 'sorry' and placed her hands on top of him. Her palms emitted a pale glow of green and immediately small wounds on his exposed skin vanished one-by-one.

Katana watched with concern as her friend concentrated. Droplets of sweat ran down her face, eyes narrowing in determination. She struggled with her breathing, strained exhales escaping her mouth. Finally, the light from her hands gave out. Sakura flinched. "Damn it!" she hissed lowly, brushing away pink strands of hair that clung to her sweaty forehead. She inhaled deeply and made an effort to make the glow return. It sparked dimly for a few times before dying out again. The girl's scowl became prominent and was about to try for a third time when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She whipped her head back.

"That's enough, Sakura." Said Katana firmly, stopping her. She replied with a disgruntled sigh. "I just can't do anything right!" Hearing the pink-haired girl berate herself, Shikamaru lowered his arms, somewhat guilty. "I'm feeling better now, really. Thank you." Sakura shook her head in defeat, unconvinced. Shifting uncomfortably in her place, Katana's expression suddenly livened up when an idea came to mind. She cleared her throat reluctantly, "Say, Sakura…"

"Hm?" The somber kunoichi inquired slightly gazing up at her. "Do you know how to do a chakra transfer?" Sakura straightened up at the question, blinking twice. "Yes", she answered, and then added curiously, "why?" A tentative smile illuminated the brunette's face. "Then, can you use my chakra to heal Shikamaru?" The medic-nin stared at her in surprise. "I-I've never actually thought of that before…" She glanced at Katana, nodding, "Let's give it a shot." Shikamaru looked back and forth between the two girls, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Even though being your guinea pig is a little troublesome…" he mumbled, a little uncertain, "…I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

Sakura positioned her hands above his injured limb, instructing Katana to put hers over her own. "Ready?" she asked and Katana nodded once. "Here it goes." The minute Sakura did the jutsu, Katana felt her chakra leave her body. She resisted the urge to retract her hand back and instead focused in giving the cherry-haired girl the amount of chakra she needed. Though foreign and unpleasant, the feeling was not absolutely painful. Closing her eyes, she evened her breathing, drawing chakra to her center. "W-We did it."

Her eyes flickered open. "What?"

"We did it…" repeated Sakura, a wide, awed grin plastered in her face. "I can't believe we did it!" _It was over that fast?_ Skeptical, she turned her attention to the Nara, who returned the same disbelieving stare. "Try to walking, Shikamaru." Insisted Sakura, standing up and helping him to his feet. "O-Oi!" The genius tensed when she let go of him but took slow, hesitant steps. When he didn't crumple down on the ground like he expected, he walked a few more steps, exerting more weight on his feet. "It's like I wasn't even injured." He murmured in amazement and smiled at the two. "Thanks."

"Tsunade-sama taught you well, Sakura-chan." Praised Shikaku, walking near. The apprentice flushed proudly at the comment but interjected, "If it weren't for Katana's chakra, I wouldn't have been able to perform the jutsu anyway."

"Of course", agreed the jounin commander completely, "you too, Katana-chan. I thank you both for helping my son."

"It's no problem, sir." Katana said, picking herself up from the ground. "Speaking of chakra, I've still got half of it left. We have to help the others, Sakura." The other girl shook her head in agreement and proceeded to follow Katana down the gravel road. She inclined her head back. "Are you going to be alright, sir?" The older man waved off the inquiry with his hand. "Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. And also, we'll try to search for other medics to help you!" Shikaku called out as they went out of sight.

* * *

A series of loud explosions echoed throughout the ruins as Naruto's battle with Pain intensified. Shinobi surrounded the battlefield, anxiously watching and praying for Naruto's victory. Every clash or clatter, every bang that was heard ignited a reaction from the onlookers. The tension in the air was thick; fear radiated from almost everyone. Katana paid no attention to the deafening sounds of destruction and meditated silently instead, pushing out chakra from her palms.

"All good."

Lifting her hands off the medic's, she nodded her head to the weak 'thank you' and stalked to sit away from the rest. Katana skimmed the crowd thoroughly. Majority of them were badly hurt and chakra depleted, worn-out from the previous fight. Others lay unconscious on the ground, still recovering from the deep cuts that Sakura and the rest of the medical team healed recently. Still, there were a few people who, unfortunately, failed to survive at all. Lightly massaging her throbbing temple, she closed her eyes.

She and Sakura have been running back and forth for quite a while now, tending injured shinobi and guiding civilians to the underground passage. She was almost out of chakra, just like the others, from continuously supplying medic-nins with it. Katana exhaled a silent breath, calming her stressed nerves. _This isn't going to work_, she thought glumly with eyebrows knotted together, lost in thought. _If Naruto doesn't end the fight soon, Konoha won't be able to hold much longer._

"Katana?" The voice cut through her grave contemplation, distracting her from her earlier musings. She looked up into worried jade green eyes. "You okay there?" Sakura asked, sitting beside her. Shaking her head, she mustered up a temporary smile. "Yeah. Just tired, that's all."

Sakura rubbed a comforting hand on her back. "You must be. After all those people that needed healing, I'm surprised you hadn't passed out from chakra exhaustion too. Good thing you have a large chakra reserve." Katana hummed in response, glad that her friend was there, making an effort to cheer her up. She always had been the one to remain upbeat and optimistic when everyone wasn't… when all things go wrong.

"We've taken care of most of them", continued Sakura, swinging her legs back and forth, "so a little break won't hurt us, right?" She turned to her, a teasing smile present in her dirt-stained face when she asked the question so casually, as if they weren't currently in a battlefield, surrounded by many wounded shinobi. Katana stared at her in disbelief. "What?" she asked innocently, but her expression clearly said she was joking. _Sakura…_Gaze softening, Katana found herself smiling back gratefully despite the situation at hand and slightly bumped Sakura's shoulder. _Thank you._

Her grin widening, the pink-haired kunoichi let out an easy chuckle. She pursed her lips together. "I'm serious though. Rest." The sword mistress pondered on the order, feeling the ache of her body and the blunt stinging of old wounds. _Maybe the idea of rest isn't bad after all_, she thought, sparing her sore and bruised hands a downward glimpse.

"What are you doing? Get out of here!"

Both kunoichi snapped their heads up in alarm at the panicked yell. Sakura's fists clenched as she glanced at the other one nervously. "Was that…Naruto?" Fear bubbled from inside Katana again. It was the same feeling she got before Konoha was smashed to bits by Pain. She rose stiffly, turning to Sakura with another one of her forced smiles. "Looks like rest has to wait a little longer. Stay here with the patients and send back-up. I'll check it out." She said, jogging away.

Katana climbed up the rocky hill, grabbing on to piled up rocks to pull herself up. When the girl was perched safely on top, Katana swung her attention towards the fight, gaze immediately falling down on her immobilized friend, Pain and another figure that lay unmoving between them. She squinted. Catching sight of a purple sweater and long indigo-blue hair strands, her eyes widened. "That's—!"

"No! STOP!"

Before anyone could react, Pain brought the metal rod down on Hyuuga Hinata. Air rushed out of Katana's lungs in shock, but the girl was too distracted to care. Time seemed to stop, for at that moment, nobody moved. Nobody said anything, felt anything. The two teammates just stared, petrified, at the sight of their comrade helplessly sprawled on the ground, blood readily staining her jacket red. The orange-haired Akatsuki pulled the weapon out, wiping the blood away on a nearby rock. "This is like how my parents were killed." He droned out slowly, calmly, a serene plastered on his face. "Right before my very eyes. Love…breeds sacrifice...which breeds hatred and leads to war."

The moment Pain raised his head with his violet orbs glinting, Naruto's aura changed instantly. He let out a piercing ear-splitting shriek, red chakra bursting from within him. As the crimson shield around him crumbled down, Naruto's true form was revealed. The nine-tail's chakra clung to his body, ears elongating and canines appearing. Four tails were already visible when another one sprouted.

Shaken out of her stupor, dread crept up Katana's spine. "This is bad!" Bellowing another deafening growl, the partially transformed jinchuuriki pounced on Pain. The solid ground under them cracked from the tremendous force. "Hinata!" shouted Katana, remembering so suddenly where the Hyuuga was situated. Dashing towards the clearing, she scooped up the dark-haired heiress and jumped off just in time before the collapsing floor could catch up to them. Landing on her feet, Katana gently laid the girl down. "Hinata…" she breathed out, unable to tear her gaze away from the bloody mess of her coat. Trembling fingers fumbled with the zipper, tugging it down and open. Gaping wounds stared back at her, blood flowing out alarmingly fast.

"Shit!" The glow of chakra sparked from her palms, slowly treating the deep cuts. A hurt whimper came out from the kunoichi below her. "Hinata?" she asked, the panic in her voice distinct. Even with her face chalk-white and hooded eyes barely staying open, the meek girl managed to look regretful. "K-Katana-chan…" she whispered hoarsely as crimson liquid trickled down from her lips while she spoke, "I-I'm…so s-sorry." She choked out, beads of tears forming on the corners of her lavender white orbs. If possible, Katana's heart sank lower. "I…t-tried to s-save him, I-I really d-did."

"Shh. Y-You don't have apologize, Hinata-chan. What you did was enough. Please…just rest now." She urged, increasing the chakra in her hands. She looked down. Blood still oozed out in a hasty pace and the wounds looked no better than they were before. Eyebrows tensed, she swallowed thickly, stubbornly forcing out her chakra when Hinata elicited another pained gasp. The brunette cringed. The girl's eyes were merely fluttering now, her sickly pale face drenched in cold sweat. With a frustrated click of tongue against teeth, Katana shook the chakra off and brought her hands together. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" The clone appeared with a 'poof' and ran back to fetch the medical team without having to be told. She turned back to Hinata, brushing away dark locks that clung to the girl's cold face.

"K-Katana-c-chan?" the Hyuga questioned feebly, growing more colorless by every passing minute. Katana gazed at her through agitated eyes. She reached down, clasping Hinata's hand tightly. "Sakura's going to be here soon, Hinata-chan." She whispered encouragingly. "I just need you to hang on for a few more seconds." White byakugan orbs stared back hopefully. Hinata gave a faint smile. "Hai." No sooner than when she said it, the sound of rushed footsteps reached their ears. "Katana! Hinata!" yelled the medic as she ran. Behind her, the other medic-nin strained to keep up. Sakura slowed to a jog as she neared and knelt down. The rest of the team took their positions and formed a circle around Hinata. They all locked hands, including Sakura, and glanced at Katana. "Katana", said Sakura, extending a hand out to her, "we need your help. Please." She nodded in understanding.

Taking a deep breath, Katana grabbed on to Sakura. At once, the girl felt the excruciating sensation of her chakra being sucked out forcibly, draining her body of every last bit of energy she has. She drew a shuddering breath, eyebrows furrowing in concentration. Sweat poured down the sides of her grimacing face. The dull throbbing of her head turned into violent pounding.

Supplying Sakura didn't seem too demanding. But supplying chakra to four other medics at the same time took a toll on her. "Just a little bit more, Katana!" Sakura's voice sounded weak to her ears, almost inaudible. Images before her eyes seemed to get dimmer and dimmer, until she could no longer make out anything except for the bleary light. Her muscles were turning stiff from the pressure but Katana held on, ignoring the pain that she felt. _This is nothing compared to what Hinata is suffering,_ she thought, teeth clenched tightly,_ so I can't…give up._

"She's alright now!" Came the relieved declaration from one of the medics. "We've successfully stopped the bleeding." They released the jutsu and broke free of the hold. Katana collapsed on the dust with a desperate gasp, greedily inhaling air she'd been deprived of. Worried whispers were exchanged between medics, trained fingers checking her pulse and temperature. In front of her, Hinata laid unconscious, chest rising up and down in even breathing. _Thank goodness, _the brunette heaved a tired sigh, relaxing little by little. The pain she felt moments earlier was already beginning to ease away.

Hands gripped her shoulders firmly and pulled her up in a sitting position. "You did great." Said Sakura softly, gentle hands soothing Katana's stiff arms. Katana's lips curved upwards. "Thanks." She replied, leaning against Sakura.

"GGRRRAAAAAAAH!"

The thunderous roar made everyone turned their heads to the open clearing. One medic let out a horrified yelp. "I can see s-six tails! At this rate, he might fully transform! What are we going to do?" The others began to panic, nervously fidgeting in their place. Katana creased her eyebrows, smile fading. "Sakura-chan!" The kunoichi whirled around, eyes widening at the newcomers. "Ah, Shikaku-san! Shikamaru!" The jounin commander and his son stopped in front of them, expressions grim. "A good thing we found you." Muttered the head Nara and informed them, "There has been a change in plan. Everyone must head to the underground passage immediately. If Naruto continues to lose control, no one will be able to stop him."

Sakura bit her lip in hesitation, turning to look back at the jinchuuriki on the battlefield. Reluctantly, she nodded once. "Alright." They all stood, Sakura helping Katana up. Shikamaru carried Hinata in his arms securely. "Come", said Shikaku, "we must hurry."

"Wait!"

He stopped, eyeing the younger girl in question. "Katana. Is something wrong?" Said girl pulled away from Sakura's support, standing shakily on her two feet. "Commander", she began, breath coming out in short pants, "what about the rest? Many of them are wounded and unconscious. They can't possibly reach the shelter in time!"

"The ANBU, my fellow jounin and I, would hold back Naruto while everyone escapes." Answered Shikaku. Katana's face fell. The older man sighed. "I understand that you worry, Katana-chan, but this is part of our job. In order to achieve the greater good, sacrifices must be made." Shikaku offered a small beam before turning his back on them, leading the way. The medical team followed him shortly. The jounin's words echoed inside Katana's mind as she walked, thoughts circulating in her head._ In order to achieve the greater good, sacrifices must be made…_ She looked back at the clearing. Loud crashes and earsplitting screeches erupted in the midst of their battle. She halted, balling her fists. "Katana?" came the confused inquiry from Sakura.

"I…I-I'll do it."

"What?" asked Shikamaru incredulously, hearing the murmured statement. "I said I'll do it." repeated Katana, louder and clearer. "Commander!" she called out to Shikaku, "With your permission, I can prevent Naruto from coming near the village and buy enough time." Ushering his son to lead the group and proceed without them, Shikaku stalked towards the two kunoichi. "Katana-chan, do you understand what you're asking me?" he asked doubtfully, studying her. Katana stared back unwavering, face set in determination. "Hai."

"You must know, Katana, that I am one of the people who fought during the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. Even with the shinobi and Hokage's powers combined, defeating it was certainly not an easy task. So tell me", Shikaku asked again, "how can you hold back Naruto on your own?"

"I—"

"You can't!" Intervened Sakura angrily, joining the conversation. "Katana, look at yourself!" she exclaimed, "You're tired. You're injured and out of chakra, just like the others. Stop pushing yourself further!" The pink-haired kunoichi ended her scolding with a weary huff, eyes glued on Katana's unmoving form.

"Perhaps", said Katana after a while, facing her with a blank expression, "you're right that I'm tired and chakra exhausted. But" she continued, "…I'm not like the others, Sakura." She sighed. "You, of all people, should know better."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but Katana gave her no chance. "This curse implanted in me gives me the strength and power that normal shinobi don't possess. It's a shame that I have to be the one to carry this burden for the rest of my life. But if I have to be burdened with it, then I might as well use it to protect the ones that I love." The Hokage's apprentice fell silent, dropping her gaze to her feet. Katana's tone softened. "I'm sorry Sakura, but I won't rest until I know everyone's safe. I already—" she stopped, swallowing back the lump in her throat, "a-already lost a precious person. I don't intend to lose another." She turned to Shikaku. "Commander?" The jounin closed his eyes wearily. "Permission granted."

That was all she needed to hear. With a grateful nod, she turned her heels and ran back to where Naruto and Pain were fighting. She stood in front of the battlefield, watching as the two exchanged blows. Another tail emerged from Naruto. Her anxiety growing, Katana wove seals quickly and slammed her hands down on the ground. "Kuroi Kago no Jutsu!" Black metal bars sprung up from below, towering over her and surrounding the area. She did another sequence of seals. "Kuroi Kaki!" Only a small spark came out. Katana grimaced.

Placing her hands together, she redid the jutsu. "Kuroi Kaki!" The black flames that she waited for never set off. From afar, she could see eight tails lashing back and forth from Naruto's figure. "Damn it." She hissed in frustration and panic, running a hand through her hair. _I've reached my limit. I have to use __**that**__ method._ Unsheathing the weapon tied to her hips, Katana raised the slender sword. She took a deep breath and braised herself, before swiping its sharp edge across her arm. Face contorted in pain, Katana glanced down to see blood gushing out of the long wound. _Not enough!_ She thought and slid the weapon to add another cut. Katana inhaled sharply, mouth snapped shut to prevent any pained groans from coming out.

Crimson liquid ran down from her wounds. She tossed the bloodstained weapon to the side, teeth clenched. Katana reached out for one of the poles, smearing it with blood. She tried the jutsu for a third time. "Kuroi Kaki!" A scream of agony escaped her as a blistering pain clawed the length of her arm, blood hissing nauseatingly as it reacted with the jutsu. The metal bar she held was engulfed by black flames. She fought to breath properly, still choking on short gasps. _"What are you doing, girl?"_

Shuddering in pain, she answered, "I-I'm trying to p-protect them."

"_In that condition? Stupid girl, are you trying to get yourself killed?"_

"I…" Katana began, "I can't just do nothing!" She protested furiously, gripping the black bar hard. She received an irritated snort from the other side. _"Then why didn't you just call for my help? Isn't that what you always do?"_ Surprised at the latter's response, her anger vanished quickly. She looked down, murmuring faintly, "I didn't think you'd help me. After all, I did turn down your offer previously. I thought I offended you." Stunned silence answered her. After a pregnant pause, she heard her twin sigh. _"I'd rather help you unwillingly than __**die**__ unwillingly because of your idiotic ideas."_ It said. _"But it'll be painful, especially now that you've used up most of your energy. Do you still want my help?"_ Katana looked up from beyond the cage. Nine tails all present, Naruto wrecked havoc around the unguarded area.

She forced back the hesitation she felt. "Help me." As the words left her mouth, a surge of agony hit her. Her shoulders had never felt so heavy, as if a thousand boulders weighed them down. Pain slithered coldly up her spine, coiling around her arms and body and down to her legs, then constricted slowly, squeezing the life out of her. A wall of black flames devoured the rows of metal bars, acting like a protective dome to prevent Naruto or Pain from getting to the other side. Eyes flashed black and gold. _"Focus, girl."_ The curse said sternly as Katana's body shook in pain. Try as she might, Katana found it impossible to concentrate. The pain was just too much to handle. "I…c-can't." rasped out Katana, falling down to her knees. _"Calm down. Don't fight it."_

Every movement was painful; every breath seemed more labored than before. She felt like drowning and being burned alive at the same time. Meagerly she closed her eyes, trying hard to ignore the agony that was threatening to tear her apart in two. _"That's it. Breathe in."_ Katana did as the curse said and inhaled, disregarding the way her lungs felt scorched by the sweltering air. _"Breathe out."_ As the time passed by, the intense pain and blazing heat that she felt diminished. She could no longer hear the roar of flames around her, nor the chilling cries that the nine-tailed jinchuuriki let out.

_**Flashback**_

_The constant smacking sound of feet against wood rang in her ears. Grey eyes were fixed at the tall figure, following the swift movements of his body. Seven-year old Katana absentmindedly plucked out tufts of grass as she watched the silver-haired man do his daily training. She didn't understand why other people thought he was lazy. He constantly worked out, did missions regularly and pushed to further improve himself. Lazy people didn't do all those. She tilted her head to the side._

"_Ano…Tou-san?"_

_Kakashi stopped midway on another kick, his leg suspended in the air. He turned to her. "Hm?" The girl tugged at her hair. "Why do you do that?" The jounin delivered a last kick to the abused wooden post, successfully breaking it. "Do what, Katana-chan?" he asked, his full attention now on her. _

"_Train." Said the child simply. _

_"You're asking me why I train?" asked Kakashi again for clarification. Katana nodded. The man looked up, rubbing his jaw wistfully. "To get stronger, I guess." He answered with a shrug and sat down beside her. "Oh..." Hearing the disappointment in the girl's voice, he blinked twice at her, suddenly conscious. "Why did you ask anyway?" Katana bent her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She looked down, frowning. "Iruka-sensei told us...that training isn't just about getting stronger or better. But, isn't that the real reason why we train?" She asked, glancing at the older man. Finally understanding what she meant, Kakashi chuckled. For some reason, this frustrated the young girl more. She straightened up and pouted, crossing her arms in front of her. "What's so funny?"_

"_Well, I think what Iruka-sensei meant was, there's another reason behind people wanting to get stronger. Perhaps the most common reason for people to seek strength is to gain fame or victory in return." Said Kakashi, letting his explanation sink in her mind. Katana dropped her arms. "Oh."_

"_What about you, Katana-chan?" asked Kakashi, "Why do you want to be stronger?" Katana blinked twice at him, uncertain. "W-Well I guess, I want to be strong enough so that I could…protect people I love."_

"_Is that so?" _

"_Hai." Katana let out a surprised squeak as a large hand ruffled her hair. "Tou-san!" she protested, batting his hand away. Kakashi smiled at her. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll be able to get strong enough to do that."_

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

Heavy eyelids lifted open, light temporarily blinding her. As her eyes adjusted, Katana found herself flat on the ground. She scanned her surroundings. The vast wasteland was quiet for a change. There were no explosions, no wails or screams. Her gaze lowered in regret. _Have I…failed? Did Naruto or Pain destroy the village, after all?_

"Look over there! It's Naruto!"

Her attention perked up at the excited cheer. _Naruto… He's alright. The others are safe…_ Numerous shouts of 'Thank you!' and 'You saved us!' echoed all over the area. She let out a sigh of relief. _Tou-san_, she thought happily, _I did it. I became strong enough to be able to protect the village. I just wish… _she trailed off, the smile in her face disappearing, _that I had been strong before so that I could've saved you._ The happiness that she felt moments ago was now gone, replaced by sorrow and an empty feeling of loneliness. _I saved the village. But I couldn't save you…all this is meaningless without you here with me._

"Ah, what do we have here?" She froze. The person looming over her chuckled lightly. "What's wrong, Katana-chan?" Katana opened her mouth to reply, but only a small gasp came out. The man bent down, sliding his arms under her back and legs, and picked her up easily. She finally caught a glimpse of his face. "Y-You…" she stammered in disbelief. "T-this can't be…H-How?" He was there. He was there with her. "It's kind of a long story." He explained while walking through the uneven road. "I know how you feel. I couldn't believe it at first, too." With trembling fingers, she reached out, gently touching his face.

Mismatched eyes stared down at her, telling her everything was going to be alright. "It's okay, Katana." He whispered in a hushed voice. "It's me." Mixed feelings and emotions rushed to her all at the same time, leaving her breathless and overwhelmed. Tears welled up from the corners of her eyes, spilling down her face. She fisted his flak jacket, burying her face on his chest. She choked on her sobs, unable to stop the tears from falling down. "Y-You're alive! You're alive…" she gasped out between sniffles, clutching to him desperately. "Yeah." Said Kakashi, smiling in relief as the hysterical girl relaxed against him, passing out from exhaustion. "I'm here, Katana. I'm here."

"Yo, Kakashi!"

The silver-haired jounin turned to meet the owner of the voice. "Ah, Gai-kun." He greeted, slowing down. The other man smiled brightly at him. "You want to meet up with the others?" He offered, pointing at the small group behind him. He faced his friend with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, but I'll think I'll pass." Looking down at the sleeping girl in his arms, he continued, "Besides...I think I owe my daughter some of my time."

**End Chapter**


	29. Chapter 29 Burdened Hearts

**Author's** **Note**: FINALLY! After 2 and a half months of suffering through academic torture, I AM BACK, PEOPLE! :DDD

I am so, so, so, sooo SORRY I took this long to update another chapter. I still wanna rant stuff, but I know you guys wanna read already and will kill me if I delay you any further so, here it is! **Enjoy and review, people!**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 29: Burdened Hearts

Pain. It was the only thing that popped up in her mind as soon as she realized her situation. She was there, running and jumping with every last ounce of her energy and pain radiated everywhere in her body. In fact, to say that it was painful was a total understatement. It was agonizing; the sting of wounds and abused muscles combined with the never-ending throb of her head, not to mention that her heart pounded twice as fast and as violent compared to the migraine she had. Though next to fear, she'd take on pain anytime. Pain, she could tolerate. Pain, she could ignore. It faded away sooner or later, after all.

But fear…Fear was different.

Fear was something that she just couldn't overcome, no matter how many times she tried to squash it and push it back. It always returned after every defeat, always coming back to haunt her in her sleep. Katana loathed fear. She hated the way it provoked horrible thoughts to rise up on the surface of her mind. With it came hesitation, irrational and unnecessary worrying, and the strong urge to cower and run away, just like now.

Katana leapt from branch to branch with blistered and aching feet that hardly mattered to her anymore. Rest-deprived eyes hastily darted back and forth from time to time, her anxiety growing by every passing minute. Her heart thundered erratically against her ribs and she once again tried to make her breathing shallower than it was already. From behind her, the sound of rhythmic tapping and quiet rustling of leaves could be heard getting nearer, throwing her mind into full-blown panic.

_Dammit_, she internally swore, racking her brain for ideas.

She was chakra-exhausted, wounded and bleeding and they were catching up to her. Should she just stop? Should she finally surrender to them? Katana shook her head, silently reprimanding herself for even considering such things. She can't give up and she won't. Inhaling deeply, she gritted her teeth and struggled to keep her shaky legs running.

_There's nothing I could do about it now. I'll just have to endure this a little longer!_

The hopeful thought was fast forgotten when something sharp pierced through her skin, imbedding itself onto her calf. Eyes widening, a strangled gasp escaped her mouth as muscles clenched painfully and she fell, down from the high branches and towards the hard and cold forest floor.

As soon as she hit the ground, an agonizing jolt coursed throughout her body, like long needles stabbing her everywhere. She groaned and pushed her head off the damp ground, craning it to the side. The blunt end of the metal rod came into view and further down, she saw the bloody half buried in her leg. Inhaling sharply, the girl looked away, closing her eyes as she grimaced. She _had_ to get up. Using her hands, she pushed her torso up, only to halt when her ears picked up the sound of silent scuffling.

"Yotsuki Katana."

She froze, her heart stopping so suddenly. The deep rumbling voice from behind sent chills to run down her spine, dread lodging itself on her throat. "It seems that you've escaped death once again." Slowly, she turned, grey eyes meeting the icy gaze of violet-ringed orbs.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap…

The sound of his feet colliding against the forest floor echoed around the area. Frozen in place, Katana could only watch as the man in the dark cloak approached her, another black rod sliding down from his sleeve and into his grip. The thought of death flashed through her mind when he stopped next to her, so close that the end of his cloak brushed against her feet.

He glanced coldly down at her. "But no more", he murmured, his grip on the rod getting tighter, "Because this time…you'll die." Raising the weapon at hand, Pain gave one last stare. Katana's eyes widened.

"Goodbye." He struck and everything dissolved into darkness.

* * *

A bone-chilling scream erupted inside the confines of the tent and the girl on the mattress bolted straight up without a warning, hands trembling and chest heaving hard. Sheets were tangled on her stiff limbs, her chalk-white face glistening with a layer of sweat. A look of horror was etched on her expression and she stared absentmindedly at the empty space with traumatized eyes, her whole body still shaking slightly.

Her ears registered a series of dull thuds, creaks and taps from inside the room, but the whispers of her earlier nightmare drowned out the sound. A bleary figure entered her line of vision, hastily rushing to her side. It loomed over her sitting form for a moment, before it crouched down to her level. Two warm, calloused hands grasped both sides of her pale face, gently shaking her. "What's wrong?" The newcomer asked, alarm and worry lacing his tone. "Katana?"

The brunette shuddered under his touch, the traumatic vision still fresh in her mind. The forest, the echoes and rustling…everything seemed so real.

"Katana, look at me."

Hearing the voice once more, she snapped out of her thoughts. The man's voice was deep, smooth and vaguely familiar, unlike the rumbling tone that haunted her. Reluctantly, the spaced-out kunoichi looked up and found herself gazing into mismatched eyes; one charcoal black and the other a bright red. Realization dawned to her little by little. The shadowy silhouette started to morph into something clearer, spiky silver locks coming into view along with the dark mask, the navy sweatshirt and pants that the person wore.

A lump formed on her throat. "Tou-san…" Her voice sounded weak, too weak even to her own ears. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, a sudden burst of emotions swelling inside her all at once. She took a deep breath to try and compose herself, but it was already too late. A single tear rolled down the curve of her cheek and soon, several others followed suit. "I…"Katana began, searching her mind for words. There were so many things she wanted to say. So many things that she had to let him know. And yet, she sat there, crying and gawking at him, unable to form a single sentence.

"Shh." The jounin silenced her, his arms circling around her frame and pulling her into an embrace. "You don't have to say anything." He said, hand rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort. "Everything's going to be fine. No one's going to hurt you as long as I'm here." With a shaky sigh, Katana clung to his sturdy form, burying her face on his shoulder as she listened to his comforting words. She could feel her worries fade away, wiped out by his mere presence. For a moment, no one spoke.

Katana remained inside her father's hold, for once feeling truly safe. Kakashi simply held the girl in his arms protectively, once in a while brushing a few stray strands of hair. Peaceful silence stretched between the two of them. The older man closed his eyes and released an exhale, relishing the rare chance of being able to hold his daughter after such a long time. It had been years since he had been this close to her. Years since she'd been his little girl who used to be so sweet…years since she used to stay under her his shadow. For her to cling to him so helplessly once again only meant one thing…

"What did you dream of, Katana?" The question was asked with utmost caution as not to provoke the girl, but even then, Kakashi felt her body tense. He fell silent, patiently waiting for her response. Slowly, she relaxed again, her stiff shoulders sagging down, burrowing further into his arms.

Katana swallowed before answering, "Death."

It was a faint whisper, but the jounin heard her clearly. A sharp pang hit him hard in the chest like a bull's eye. Gray eyebrows knitted tightly. "I see…" Kakashi knew well what hurt him inside. Guilt. How could he, a man who claimed this girl as his daughter, leave her all alone, especially in a situation where she needed him most? She was here now, frightened, scarred and broken. And it was _his_ fault.

She had always seemed so confident, so certain of things, so strong and untouchable, that sometimes he forgot the fact that she was still just a child, a 17-year old girl who happened to be unfortunate enough to experience such horrible things in her youth.

"I'm sorry." Were the first words that escaped his mouth after his musings, effectively breaking the silence that surrounded them. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I should've never left you alone to fight with them. It must've been hard for you to manage." The younger one lifted her tucked head up, gazing at him in a more composed manner. She frowned.

"Don't be, Tou-san." She muttered, eyelids lowering at the end of her statement, "I was the one who couldn't do anything right. I'm sorry I couldn't save you on time. If I had just—"

"It's not your responsibility to protect me. Daughters aren't obliged to save their fathers." Cut off Kakashi lowly, and when Katana glanced up questioningly at him, he offered a wistful smile. "Rather, it's my job to take care of you. Because, no matter what happens", drawled out the silver-haired man, "you'll always be my little girl." Surprise etched on the girl's face before her eyes softened, a small beam forming on her lips. She sighed wistfully, shaking her head in defeat.

"Yeah? Well…I still am sorry though." Katana whispered, shifting her head to the side lazily. A gray brow rose at her somewhat stubborn statement, and Kakashi smirked in amusement. "I know." He answered, before a thought descended to his mind.

"Say, Kat-chan?" he inquired teasingly, and said girl let out an irritated grunt in response. "I heard from several villagers that you helped out Sakura in healing them. Shikaku-san also told me", he continued, "that you volunteered on holding back Naruto alone while he was on his possessed state." He tilted his head to the side, meeting her half-lidded grey eyes. "That true?"

"…Yeah."

"Mm. Then I'm proud of you." He hummed, smiling underneath the mask. "To be as selfless as to sacrifice yourself for other people's sake, knowing that you could've died in the process…I'm proud of you, Katana." At this, her annoyed facade was replaced by a lopsided smile. "You should be." She replied mockingly, grin getting wider. "Being selfless takes a lot of effort. I'm not about to do it again soon." The older man laughed, shaking his head in mirth. "You", said Kakashi as his laughter ceased, "have really grown up over these years, ne? You're no longer the same kid that used to peek from behind my back."

A muffled sound was heard and Katana raised her head up from the sweater to protest clearly. "I never peeked from behind your back." She thoroughly denied, glaring at him. Kakashi raised a challenging eyebrow. "Really now?" he asked, tone obviously disbelieving. "What? I didn't." said Katana again and added, "Besides, weren't you the one who used to hide behind me when Iruka-sensei hunts you down? Especially that time when you didn't attend the PTA meeting for the sixth time in a row. He got so mad, he was ready to rip you a new one." She chuckled, recalling the hilarious scene of her normally nonchalant father panicking when the academy instructor finally caught up to him.

Kakashi, however, winced at his daughter's words, pouting at the way she openly laughed at him. "I don't need to be reminded of his wrath." He muttered in a deadpan, shuddering at the thought of him going through that again. "Anyway", he continued, breaking apart from the girl and standing up, "I need to go and meet up with Gai. He's been waiting for me for about an hour and a half now." He chuckled sheepishly when she glared. "Will you be alright on your own?" he asked in the middle of his exit, halting and looking back. The question was casually asked, but the kunoichi could see the worry radiating from the older man's eyes.

She smiled reassuringly, shooing him off with a dismissive wave. "Go. I'll be fine."

He smiled skeptically. "Okay then. I'll see you later."

Kakashi gave one last glance before he waved goodbye, jumping off. An almost inaudible sigh escaped Katana as she ran a hand to comb through her hair. It would seem that she was alone once again. Deciding to take advantage of the time in her hands, she scanned her surroundings. The room she was in was small but not cramped, the space sufficient enough to house four to five people. The sunlight that peeked through the flaps of the tent was the only source of illumination inside. Her gaze fell down on the floor where heaps of scrolls, weapons, clothes and other stuff that Katana knew belonged to her were laid. Sighing, she looked down on herself, inspecting the injuries she got.

Her left arm was entirely covered in bandage, from the end of her shoulder down to the tips of her fingers. Her right hand was bandaged as well. "What the…?"_  
_

Pushing the covers off her body, Katana stared, with the little amusement, at her bind up stomach. Her shirt was full of burnt holes and tears, both sleeves ripped off. Her shorts were no better, shredded and smelling of smoke. _Damn_, she thought with a grimace, _I've messed up pretty bad this time._

Wasting no time, she stood, zipping the tent close and knelt down in front of one of the bags. She dug through its contents and drew out an overly large navy sweater. Pulling the torn shirt off, she proceeded to put on the blue one before snatching a clean pair of pants to replace the one she wore. Once done, Katana gave herself a quick once-over. The dark sweater was a tad too big on her, she mused, taking notice of how it reached down to her thighs.

She inwardly shrugged. At least now, thanks to the long sleeves of her father's shirt, no one would see the multiple bandages she had. The last thing she wanted was to inform her enemies that she was wounded and weak at the moment.

Satisfied with her change in clothing, she craned her head to the doorway longingly. How long had she been out anyway? Outside, cheerful voices and vibrant laughter of children could be heard, drowning out the constant hammering and sawing of workers from farther away. Katana cautiously approached the opening, before yanking the zipper down completely. The patches of grass and dirt road that led to town peeked invitingly back at her. So many questions revolved around her mind. What did Konoha look like now? How were her friends doing? Where was Naruto? And Sakura?

Taking a deep breath to ease her nerves, she took a bold step outside and braced herself. The burst of sudden radiance blinded her temporarily and she winced, squinting in reflex.

From a distance, she could see the tiny group of tents and houses, and only a few number of trees that survived were scattered around the area. Children ran playfully side by side, unbothered by the previous catastrophe that hit their village. Men and women, shinobi and civilians alike, roamed back and forth, carrying loads of boxes of medicine, food and other supplies in their arms. Even when struck with misfortune, the people of Konoha remained intact and strong, determined to help one another. The barest hints of a smile ghosted over Katana's face.

"Katana-chan?"

She whirled around at the sound of her name being called and found herself staring at a dark-haired boy riding on top of a large dog. Katana blinked twice.

"Kiba?" she called out questioningly, taking in the shinobi's heavy breath and frazzled expression. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

The Inuzuka swallowed tightly, almost breathlessly, before speaking. "Never mind that", he told her, eyebrows knitted in worry, "Did you hear? That Danzo guy—whoever he is, has been proclaimed the new Hokage!"  
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his flurry of words. "Kiba, what are you talk…?" She froze, replaying the words in her mind all over again. Danzo. Proclaimed. Hokage. It took a while before the news finally sank in her brain. "What?" she asked in disbelief, the dread of it dawning fully into her.

Her eyebrows creased. "But what about Tsunade-sama? Surely they couldn't just dismiss somebody from the position of Hokage, right?"

At the mention of the blonde woman, Kiba's face fell into a deep frown. "That's just it." He muttered darkly, looking down at his feet. "Tsunade-sama's in a coma. She hasn't woken up since."

_Great. Just great._ Thought Katana bitterly, massaging her already throbbing temples, a migraine making its way to her head. _And to think that I just woke up._ The boy in front of her kept on ranting, but Katana cut him off sharply, "Where's Naruto and Sakura? Do they know already?" Startled with the hoard of questions directed to him, Kiba paused and thought twice.

"Well, they were headed towards the forest when I met them a while ago. So I informed them of—O-Oi! Wait! I wasn't done yet!" protested Kiba indignantly when the girl sprinted away, yelling for her to come back.

* * *

_Where are they?_

Katana asked herself inwardly in growing impatience and worry, head jerking side to side to search for any signs of the hyperactive blonde. She had been searching for almost an hour now, but Naruto was nowhere to be found. _Perhaps they've gone back to the village? _A barely contained hiss slipped out of her mouth in frustration and she halted, feeling her brain pound mercilessly against her skull.

A hand flew up to clutch her aching head, mouth set in a frown.

_So many problems… When will this all end?_

It always did end, she knew, one way or another, but somehow Katana could never bring herself to agree to it this time. Things just kept on piling up, adding themselves one after the other into the never-ending list.

"Agh!"

The pained groan distracted her from her glum thoughts and her head shot up, eyes narrowed. "Who..?" she muttered under her breath, taking a few steps forward and waited for the sound again.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I can't—gah!"

Katana clicked her tongue against her teeth in anxiety. _Naruto!_ The kunoichi hastily picked up her pace and ran, rushing to the source of the voice. As she got nearer, violent punches and screamed profanities were heard echoing around the area. Hiding behind a tree trunk, Katana came across a large building and two people who were huddled over somebody else, cornering whoever that was back up the wall.

The first person, the female, spoke up, anger and pain distinct in her tone, "No amount of hitting you would ever make me feel better!" she roared at the cowering figure in front of her. "I'll keep just this up until you answer my question!" Her statement made Katana's gut twist into knots, a sign that something worse was on its way to reaching them.

With a grudging scowl, she decided to wait a bit more until she discovers the duo's identities. She glanced over the girl's quiet companion. The guy was about all tall as his partner, hair a pale blonde and skin tanned. He wore a white and gray vest over his dark jacket, red hand guards placed on his arms and a sword slung over his shoulder.

Grey eyes widened at the style of his outfit, before turning into dangerous slits. _Kumogakure._ Hands balled into fists, shaking uncontrollably as she trudged her way towards them without hesitancy. The shinobi was the first one to sense her, stiffening as he reached for his weapon but readily dropped his hand to his side when he saw her and instead, fell down on the ground in a deep bow.

The red-headed girl stopped her bellowing for a moment, turning to her partner in confusion, before fully whirling around to meet Katana's deadly glower. The kunoichi paled. "Karui", grounded out Katana, not even bothering to hide the rage in her glare, "step away from him." The girl obeyed without a protest, fear visible in her face. She kneeled beside her partner, head hanging low in a bow.

Face still contorted in a grimace, she turned to the severely beaten blonde boy, scanning his bloodstained jumpsuit, bruised and swollen face and barely standing structure. "Naruto…" she regarded stiffly, her cold look softening by a fraction, worry replacing anger. Cautiously, she approached him, taking his arm and slinging it over her shoulders to support his frame. The blackened eye of her friend widened slightly in surprise.

"K-Katana-chan", rasped out Naruto weakly between dry coughs, "wh-what are you doing here? S-Shouldn't you be res-resting?" Staring at the pitiful boy, Katana felt a twinge in her heart. "I woke up. Kiba told me about Danzo." Explained Katana softly, her angry facade crumbling down. "What happened, Naruto?"

He looked away guiltily at the question, using the back of his hand to wipe blood away from his split lip. Katana stared at him, waiting, but no reply came. "Katana. Naruto." Katana craned her head to the side, looking at the newcomer. Relief washed over her system when her gaze fell on a pale teen that was hurriedly running to their side. "Sai", she sighed, eagerly handing Naruto to him. "Take him to Sakura, okay?" she requested immediately and watched as Sai nodded before departing with Naruto securely in his hold. Once the two were finally out of sight, the young kunoichi's face turned hollow, calling out, "You can stand, you know."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw them stand up hesitantly, Karui's head still lowered in shame. Katana could feel her irritation fade away, pity coursing through her. A part of her, the irrational, selfish part, was tempted to explode, to lash out at them. It would seem only fitting, since they did beat up a random person, which, by the way, happened to be her friend, in the middle of their—at least she thinks it is—mission. _But no person is faultless and everyone makes mistakes._ She thought, feeling guilty of her earlier actions.

"I'm not mad", she stated awkwardly, trying to ease the tension off their bodies, "if that's what you guys think." Katana faced the nervous pair, eyeing them lightly. "What happened?" It was a simple question, but evidently, the duo found it difficult to answer. Omoi was the one to speak first, stuttering through the lollipop inside his mouth. "I..W-well, we—R-Raikage-sama, h-he uh…um—"

"Calm down." Sighed Katana, rubbing her face in exasperation and exhaustion. "I'm not going to bite, Omoi." At the girl's words, the tan shinobi took a minute to collect himself, swallowing hard and evening out his breath, before he tried again, "Raikage-sama sent us, together with Samui-taichou, to… deliver a message for Konoha, Katana-sama. After that, he ordered us to meet him in the Land of Iron." He answered, this time without his voice trembling.

A nod came from Katana. "I see." She murmured, another question brewing in mind. "How come Naruto was brought into this?" Silence answered her. Biting his lip, Omoi turned to the redhead, asking for support. The girl remained passive. He sighed dejectedly, scratching his head. "Um, well, you see—"

"It's my fault, Katana-sama." Interjected Karui silently, startling both her companions. "I got carried away. We were gathering information, and that guy, Naruto, knew something but he wouldn't tell us. He offered that we hit him instead of talking. So I…", Karui paused, clenching her jaw together, remembering the previous scenes inside her head. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "So I beat him up. I'm sorry, Katana-sama."

Meanwhile, Katana fell quiet, eyes in a downward gaze, expression looking lost in thought. The two stared at her expectantly as she concentrated, eyes creased into narrow ovals. "He let you beat him up, eh? I thought just as much." she murmured incoherently under her breath; tone down to a mere hushed mutter that Karui and Omoi almost missed it if not for their shinobi-trained ears, "Naruto would never be that battered unless he actually permits someone to strike him. But why would he?" Her head snapped up, turning to Karui for explanation. "What did you ask him?"

She blinked twice, golden orbs confused for a moment before stammering, "Uchiha Sasuke. I asked him about Sasuke." Katana's eyes shot open at the name. "Sasuke? What does he have to do with any of this?" she inquired, voice getting unconsciously louder. Omoi's mouth twitched downwards in a wounded frown. "He…He's the one who killed your uncle, Killer Bee-sama. We found it out just days ago."

Katana's mind stopped processing when the puzzle pieces fitted together all of a sudden. She could remember overhearing a conversation between her father and the council just a few months back when she stayed in Kumo to train. Her father had been so grief-stricken back then, so distraught and lifeless when he heard that his younger brother had been missing and eventually concluded that he was dead. They prepared a funeral for him, added his picture into the growing collection of picture frames of deceased jinchuuriki that hung on the wall, but no one knew if he was truly dead or not. Now, hearing the words tumble out of the girl's mouth, Katana's knees buckled.

"W-What?" she stammered out, taken aback by the news. A sudden wave of nausea and daze hit her, bile rising up at the back of her throat. Though disbelief was written all over her face, Katana knew it wasn't entirely impossible. Sasuke had changed so much, grown so strong when they last fought each other; she was almost too scared to imagine how strong he'd gotten now.

"Katana-sama…? You okay?" Omoi asked in concern as the two stared at the drained kunoichi.

Head rising up, she failed to hide her unease on time. "Yeah, I'm…" she swallowed thickly, silently knowing that it was already too late to cover up her anxiety. She did, anyway. "I'm fine." Although her poker face was in place, a small crease between her eyebrows betrayed her, giving out what her thoughts in mind were exactly. Her ex-best friend-turned-avenger was responsible for the death of her beloved uncle.

Dismally, Katana knew what was coming next: Her father was going to kill Uchiha Sasuke.

Fighting the urge to scowl, Katana got to her feet and glanced at the waiting shinobi. "I'll go with you in the Land of Iron. Find Samui-san and wait for me at the gate, understood?" The pair nodded curtly in agreement and leapt off, leaving Katana to sprint back to her tent, a dreaded thought stuck in mind.

* * *

Layers of cold, white dust concealed every inch of dry ground until there was no empty spot in sight. Snowflakes fell from the sky in a deliberate pace, hovering over their heads for a minute before finally descending down onto them. The sound of rushed footsteps was heard drumming continuously against the snow-covered ground in a tense rate.

A thick fog ghosted over Katana's mouth as she breathed out heavily, lips pale blue in color and cheeks slightly flushed. A tingling sensation traveled down her arms as the passing snow soaked her sleeves wet, reaching her bandaged wounds.

Face turning grim, Katana forced herself to ignore the sting and focused instead on the trail ahead. The person in front of her was already a meter away and with a little additional effort, Katana managed to catch up just in time, acting as if nothing was wrong. Even with the rest she previously woke up on, she noted, the repetitive jutsu she did while holding back Naruto took a large toll on her body.

A sharp pain shot up her limb and she involuntarily winced, biting back a hiss. She stopped completely, gripping her arm, teeth gnashed together in agony. The blonde male craned his head back and halted, jogging his way back to her. "What's wrong, Katana-sama?"

"No, no. I'm okay." She grounded out with difficulty, the ache already reaching up to her upper body. "My arm just got…caught in some branch." Expression scrunched up in confusion and doubt, Omoi boldly took a hold of her arm before she could move away. He pulled back the sleeve, eyebrows shooting up when he saw the bandages.

"Sure doesn't look like it got caught up in a branch." Muttered Omoi rebelliously. Katana shot him a hard glare, causing him to raise his hands in defense. "S-Sorry", he said quickly, knowing that he'd crossed a line, "here, let me help you." Just as he was about to reach out for her, Samui's voice rang in the air, "Omoi! What's taking you so long?" He jerked his head back, ready to call out when a hand clamped down his mouth shut. Eyes widening, he turned to the girl in confusion. Katana had a stubborn, nearly desperate look on her face as she mouthed the word, 'No' to him. Staring at him for a little longer, she lowered her hand.

"This is nothing." She drawled out slowly, emphasizing every word. "I'm fine and nothing's wrong, you got that?" He nodded in understanding though his eyes still held confusion.

"Good." Said Katana, making her way past him. They ran, closing the gap they had with the other two girls. Samui inclined her head back, genuine concern evident in her gaze as she peered at Katana through thick lashes. "Is something the matter, Katana-sama?" The brunette shook her head dismissively. "Just had to catch my breath, that's all." The group continued towards the path and only when they came across an intersection did the female blonde stop, stopping them altogether. She held out a hand. "We wait here." She said. A few silent moments passed by and only the quiet whoosh of the cold breeze was heard. It wasn't long before a dull thud sounded and three figures coming from above descended down to them. Samui and her two companions bowed down before the middle person.

"Raikage-sama", spoke the team leader, head angled downwards, "We have returned from Konohagakure." The burly man nodded once, his gruff voice booming, "Good. How'd it go?"

"The mission was successful, my lord, though we encountered some changes along the way. We have a newcomer with us, Raikage-sama." The tall Kumo leader cocked his eyebrow in question. "Who?" The team parted, revealing the young kunoichi behind them. Katana lowered her head in a quick bow. "Tou-sama." She acknowledged, waiting for his response. Her father's grave expression changed into one of surprise. "Katana, what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you. I heard about Uncl—" Before she could even finish her statement, three new chakra signatures popped out of nowhere, seemingly masked and blended in the surroundings. Everyone tensed, except for Katana who stiffened for a different reason. Well-acquainted with the chakra signatures, Katana felt her frustrations growing rapidly. _They shouldn't have come here!_

"Come out Konoha dogs!" Ordered Shee, his tone laced with slight irritation and disgust. As Katana expected, three silhouettes came out of hiding, all wearing the same caramel-colored cloaks to fend off the cold. The blonde ninja in the middle of the two jounin stood out the most, with his bright golden locks and right eye bandaged. From beside the Raikage, Darui murmured a comment under his breath, his exposed eye flickering at Kakashi's cloaked form. The Raikage's response was to grunt indignantly before asking in a rough voice, "Did the Hokage send you, Hatake Kakashi?"

The silver-haired man shook his head calmly, meeting the tanned man in the eye. "We have a favor to ask you. My student, Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure, wishes to speak with you." In her place, Katana's throat constricted in worry. Alarms bells were ringing inside her head, her instincts telling her to prevent Naruto from even opening his mouth.

_Stop it_, she wanted to tell him,_ just go and let me handle this!_

But the words died in her throat as soon as Naruto took a brave step forward, sapphire blue eyes staring at the Raikage without fear or nervousness. A Yotsuki scrutinized him closely from head to toe, goading the boy on, "Well then, spit it out!"

The normally hyperactive ninja took a deep breath, releasing it to calm himself before speaking out loud. "I want you to stop Sasuke's…Uchiha Sasuke's execution."

Stunned silence answered Naruto's plea. Everyone, save for the Raikage and his daughter, gaped at his bold statement. Hearing no protest, he continued, allowing his emotions to take over. "I know it's a lot to ask…but I had to try. Sasuke's my friend! I couldn't just sit back and watch him be killed! And I don't want Sasuke to be the cause of war between Konoha and Kumo. I don't want anyone to get caught up in revenge like he did." Sincerity radiated off the boy's expression and words, but the Raikage's eyebrows creased together in doubt, as if unconvinced.

Averting his glance and without even so much of an acknowledgement, he told his companions, "Let's go." An audible thump made everybody stop in their tracks and double take at Naruto, who—from his previous position—was now kneeling on the ground, face almost touching the heap of snow. "Please!" he cried out desperately, "I'm begging you! I don't want anyone else to die because of revenge! That's all what Sasuke thought about. It consumed him and changed him! He was driven mad with that hatred inside him! I don't want people of Konoha and Kumo to kill each other! So please…Please! I beg you…I beg y-you…"

The blonde sank lower into the ground as his body racked in sobs, tears of despair spilling down his whiskered cheeks. Katana could feel her own eyes water and her heart threatening to break at the sight of her friend throwing away his pride and dignity just to save their teammate. Unsure of what to expect, she gave a tentative glance at her father, taking in his closed eyes and the distressed sigh that escaped his parted mouth.

Much to Katana's surprise, black orbs slowly opened, flashing with pain. "No." her father said, his hard tone wavering with barely concealed suffering. "I will kill Uchiha Sasuke. It's up to you to stop me." He looked down on the boy, eyeing him disapprovingly. "A ninja should not be quick to bow down to others! In this world, you will not last long if you continue to wallow in your weaknesses! Think about what you must do." he said, turning around abruptly. A spared the group a last look before trudging away, his shinobi following not far behind.

Biting her lip in hesitation, Katana knelt down beside the crestfallen teen instead of sticking with her father. "Get up, Naruto." She gently pulled him up by the shoulders, only to be tackled and crushed inside the blonde's tight hug.

She stiffened reflexively, feeling her injuries ache against his rather firm grasp. However, the sound of his sniffling made her relax, her arms encircling the latter in a comforting hold. She said nothing, waiting for him to open up. After a few moments, Naruto choked back a sob. "I…" he began weakly, "I couldn't do it…I c-couldn't save him." He gazed up at her, blue orbs pleading. "Please, Katana-chan, please…" he begged, resting his head on her shoulder, tears flowing freely from his eyes. "Save Sasuke."

The girl in his grip inhaled sharply, eyes shutting close. Katana gave him a gentle squeeze before muttering softly but clearly, "I'll save Naruto. I promise. I won't allow Tou-san to lay a finger on him."

**End Chapter**


	30. Chapter 30 Long time no see

**Author's Note:** _New chapter people! _

_I missed adding Gaara in the story. T_T __Don't worry, in the next few chapters, you're gonna get some GaaraXKatana action! _

_Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to **REVIEW**!_

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 30: Long time no see

"Tou-sama."

The Raikage paid no heed to the girl drawing alongside of him, his gaze set straight on the marble-tiled path ahead.

"Tou-sama, please."

It was not as if he wanted to ignore her. No, his mind simply felt like it was going to explode any minute now, too occupied and filled with problems and troubles. Grimacing, he shook his head, planning not to think about it at least until he reached the headquarters. With an irritated click of her tongue, Katana caught up easily and paced beside him, tired of being overlooked.

"Tou-sama, please listen to me." She seethed, tone dangerously close to screaming in frustration.

"I need to talk to you. Tou-sama!"

The yell at the end of her statement caught the older man's attention and he turned, giving her a sullen glare. "Be quiet, Katana. We'll talk later." He said indifferently, whipping his head towards the winding way once again before she can protest.

Scowling dejectedly, Katana let herself fall behind, walking in a more relaxed pace beside Darui. The soldier's slouched form straightened slightly, his exposed eye glancing at her from the side. "You okay?" he asked, concern seeping through his normally languid voice. The kunoichi shook head her once, eyebrows knitting together. "It's like he doesn't know me anymore." She muttered, running a hand to comb through her dark locks. The older man offered a sympathetic smile.

"It's just been busy these days." He reasoned out with a nonchalant shrug, turning back to focus his eyes in front. "Y'know, Akatsuki, bandit problems, Kumo's economy, blah, blah, blah… They seem to have burst out of nowhere so suddenly. Add the information about your uncle into the pile of problems and bam! Raikage-sama was thrown over the edge."

A weary sigh answered him back. "I know that, Darui-sempai…" She mumbled, eyelids lowering in fatigue. "Honestly, I don't know how long I'll last as well." Turning right, the girl dragged her feet reluctantly inside the conference room, staring at her father's rigid back. A burst of cold air rushed over her and she shivered unconsciously, rubbing her hands together.

Curiously, her eyes flickered around the large room, gaze drinking every detail. A large U-shaped table was situated in the center, five chairs placed around it, while a lone seat was located at the very top. Five people were already seated in their chairs, leaving the chair on the upper left corner vacant. With brisk strides, the Raikage took his rightful seat.

The long-haired man in the middle spoke up, voice raspy and slow, "Place your hats on the table. You are all here because the Raikage called for a meeting. I am Mifune, your moderator for today's affair. The meeting will now begin." A small tug at her sleeve distracted Katana from her gawking. She craned her head to the side, watching as Darui pointed a finger above. "Come on." He whispered encouragingly, leading the girl by the arm.

Climbing the stairs, they joined Shee who sat dutifully on a bench, just like many other personal guards. With a sigh, Katana plopped down in her seat, burying her face in her hands. The loyal shinobi beside her emitted a surprised squeak.

"Um…" the younger male started, searching for the right words, "Katana-sama?"

"Don't mind me." She grunted in annoyance, feeling drained and exhausted from their travel.

If she had to stay during the whole period of the boring meeting, then there was no way she would spend that time awake. She closed her eyes rebelliously, fully intending to sleep all throughout the summit when a voice, velvety and deep, pierced through her mind.

"I'll go first. Listen up."

Her head snapped up, in both shock and disbelief, and she peeked down from the balcony, searching for the owner of the voice. Impatiently scanning everyone below, her gaze landed on a red-headed young man. Her heart skipped a beat, grey orbs unable to look away as if in a trance. Her eyes slowly traveled down, absorbing the rich crimson locks, dark-ringed aquamarine eyes and the red 'ai' tattoo carved into the pale skin of the teenage Kage.

A faint blush settled in her face. "T-That's…Gaara." She breathed out, earning the attention of the two soldiers beside her. Together, they followed her gaze and found themselves staring at Suna's young leader. Darui's dark lips curved into a knowing smirk.

"Didn't expect to see your boyfriend here, Katana-sama? Well, it's the Five-Kage meeting, after all. He bound to be here, one way or another."

At the mention of the word 'boyfriend', Katana flushed deeper, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She looked around, looking for a particular duo. _If Gaara's here, then surely they would've come along…_She thought, skimming the pairs of guards thoroughly until she saw a certain blonde with her hooded brother beside her. Murmuring a hasty excuse, she ducked past the other guards and scurried over to them.

"Kankuro!" she called out in a whisper, startling the puppeteer. He jerked his head back, eyes ready to glare and mouth set in a tight frown when his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hey!" he greeted out loud, a bewildered smile crossing his features. The blonde beside him craned her head to the side in confusion, deep green eyes widening at the sight of the brunette girl behind them.

"Katana?" the older kunoichi asked, beaming in astonishment. She shifted in her seat to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came with the Raikage." Answered Katana, mustering up a tired smile. "You guys came here with Gaara, right? How is he?" Remembering their younger brother, Temari's smile faded away so suddenly as she glanced back down at the Kazekage. "He's…fine." She stated with uncertainty, lips tugging downwards. Kankuro scoffed, his rotten mood returning.

"Fine? Are you kidding me?" he said, brows knitting deeply. "Look at him, jan! He's being rudely interrupted, insulted and thoroughly underestimated by the other Kages, especially by that small old bastard over there." He growled, glaring at the Tsuchikage. "How I'd love to curl my hands around his neck and throttle him, jan." hissed the puppeteer menacingly, anger and hurt burning in his eyes.

"Calm down, Kankuro." Snapped Temari half-heartedly, her own worried expression betraying her statement. Grudgingly, he sealed his mouth shut and instead fixed the Tsuchikage a dirty glare below. Katana shifted her gaze back on Gaara, uneasiness scribbled in her face as she listened to his speech.

"I requested help from the other Kages, but they all ignored me save for the former Hokage." Said the redhead, fingers laced together in front of him. His expression darkened as he continued, "Though at this point, with many hosts captured and killed, it's too late for any aid."

The old man seated at his far left snorted in disgust, wrinkles appearing along with the scowl. "Hmph. If a country lost its host, it has no right to order around other countries. It's just downright embarrassing and degrading!" jeered the Tsuchikage, "You should have tried to at least recover it in secret! You can't expect other countries to help you after you had your tailed-beast stolen." Green eyes flickered to stare at him, unwavering and unreadable, that he couldn't help but be uncomfortable.

"Appearance…Honor…" Gaara muttered lowly, non-existent eyebrows furrowing. "I don't have time for such ridiculous old-fashioned thinking."

Stunned silence met Gaara's bold response. Everyone in the conference room stared back and forth between the two Kages, each anticipating what comes next. The older of the two had been taken aback, his eyes wide with disbelief before turning into enraged slits, his face reddening in anger and humiliation.

In an attempt to lessen the tension that hung in the atmosphere, the fifth Mizukage cleared her throat awkwardly, making the others turn to her. "Just because the beasts have been stolen, there's actually no reason to be afraid. It takes time, skill and knowledge before one can fully control them, right, Kazekage?" She turned to the young leader for support and he nodded once in agreement. Much to the surprise of everyone, the newly appointed Hokage joined in the conversation, speaking out loud for the first time.

"In history, the only ones who can truly control the tailed beasts are Uchiha Madara, the 1st Hokage Harashima, the 4th Mizukage Yagura and perhaps, Raikage's brother, Killer Bee. But, other than them—"

As her uncle's name was brought up, Katana tensed suddenly, feeling the enormous murderous intent radiating off from none other than her father. She watched as he stiffened, his obsidian orbs scorching with hatred. Without a warning, his arm rose up at an alarming speed, threatening to pound everything near him into pieces. In a split second, Katana was there beside him, sword at hand, ready to hold him back if needed. His fist collided with the table in front of him, effectively creating a rather huge hole in it. Sliding noises and quiet clanking of weapons were heard, the other guards in their fighting stances, defending their Kage from harm.

The kunoichi craned her head back, eyebrows creased in concern. Her father had pulled out his arm, his usually lively dark eyes hiding behind closed eyelids. Katana released an inaudible sigh, tentatively reaching out a hand towards the older man. Her fingers came in contact with his arm, cool and soft, calming him down. Little by little, he relaxed, his orbs opening to look at her through a pained gaze.

"It's okay, Tou-san." She whispered soothingly, giving him a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Just stay stronger for a little while longer."

He lowered his eyes, exhaling tiredly. "Go." He told her.

Reluctantly, she turned on her heel and walked away, but not before catching a pair of sea-green eyes staring at her. She froze, her heart thumping erratically against her chest. Gaara. Their gazes met one another, just like five years before, and Katana found herself being pulled into his hypnotizing stare. This time though, the contact wasn't awkward or disturbing. More of mind-numbingly sweet.

"Hi…" she breathed out, though she knew he wouldn't hear her from a distance that far.

Nonetheless, Gaara's earlier expression melted into a softer one, his aquamarine orbs lazily drinking in her appearance. The side of his mouth quirked upwards in a rare smile—one that only Katana and his siblings were allowed to see— that clearly said, 'It's good to see you'. With another blush dusting her face and her lips curling up into a gentle beam, she looked away, excusing herself quickly from the U-table. His seriousness returned almost immediately once she left, his attention focusing in the argument at hand.

"Konoha! Suna! Iwa! Kiri!" barked out the Raikage harshly, "Akatsuki is made up of missing-nins from your villages! And that's not all! There are those among you, including the former Kages, who have used Akatsuki for their own benefits!" He cast them all a hard and accusing glare, one that Gaara didn't miss. The boy narrowed his own eyes at the Raikage, out of confusion rather than offense.

"What do you mean 'used Akatsuki'?" he questioned, suspicions rising. Every other Kage looked away guiltily, almost shamefully, leaving the Raikage alone to answer him. He snarled, a look of irritation crossing his features, "You're the Kazekage, aren't you? Go ask your elders! You used Akatsuki in your own war!" The Tsuchikage coughed lightly and Gaara faced him, his perplexed expression never changing.

"The great countries enjoy a time of relative peace. As tension eases out between two countries, the threat of war lessens and they focus then on disarmament instead of military expansion." The small man explained, and glancing up, he added, "But what if war breaks out so suddenly? They cannot rely on untested ninjas in the heat of the battle. They'd lose the war."

"So one way of dealing with that", the former jinchuuriki inquired, disgust seeping in his monotone voice, "is through the use of mercenary force, like Akatsuki?"

"Yes." Answered the Tsuchikage with a nod. "Akatsuki are professionals that are hired for relatively little. Furthermore, they always have good resul—"

"Tsuchikage!" growled the Raikage in a warning tone, balled hands shaking uncontrollably and threatening to break down another hole into the table. "Suna used Akatsuki to try and take over Konoha. Look at what happened: Both the former Kazekage and Third Hokage died as a result!"

He shot the Mizukage a dirty glare. "Kirigakure, you are the most suspicious! You have no diplomatic relations with other countries and it has been rumored that Akatsuki originated in your place!" Everybody shifted their expectant gazes towards the Mizukage, scrutinizing her.

"I…" She started and stopped, biting her lower lip. The brunette woman fell quiet, eyes lowered in a hesitant way. "T-There were rumors…that the previous 4th Mizukage was being controlled." She sucked in a deep breath, eyebrows knitting in shame as she continued in a hushed voice, "It could have been Akatsuki…but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"You all!"

The infuriated bellow made them all turn their heads towards the Raikage. "It's because you continue to amass power and techniques during this time of disarmament that—!"

"Watch your tongue, Raikage!" snapped the Iwa leader, standing up in outrage. The Raikage followed suit and soon, the supposed-to-be organized meeting was reduced to shouting matches and angry accusations. The conference room was in chaos and not even the moderator could stop them. The bodyguards were tense in their seats, their chakra signatures stirring around the room and despite looking calm; Katana knew they were ready to spring into action at the slightest suggestion of danger. She knew because just like them, she sat abnormally straight and her hands itched to grab the hilt of her sword every time a Kage leans forward to join the heated argument.

It was only when Danzo intervened did they all halt, eyes wide with fear and disbelief. Even the Raikage's burning temper seemed to die out at the new Hokage's statement, unnerving everyone above. After one more minute of tension, their conversation resumed, this time with hasty whispers and shaky murmurs.

"What the hell are they talking about down there?" Kankuro mumbled the question under his breath, his eyes anxiously darting back and forth between Danzo and Gaara. At his side, his older sister sat with a tight frown, her ocean-green orbs clouding in confusion and unease. The girl at the other side had the same expression.

"As a neutral country, I have to say", Mifune's voice rang out amidst the conversation and all turned to him, several sighs of relief escaping them at the sound of a firm voice, "The leader of Akatsuki read the signs of times well. He used the stability and the suspicion of the other countries to increase his power. But as they say, there's always a silver lining. It's rare to have the five Kages all in one place. What do you say?" he asked, a suggestion forming in mind as he spared them all a glance, "How about forming a five-village alliance? Just until Akatsuki has been taken care of, of course."

"A-An alliance?" repeated the Raikage, utter disbelief written all over his face. Danzo nodded eagerly in agreement. "It's a good idea." He said. "We're in a state of emergency right now. It'll be best to cooperate." A grateful grunt came from Mifune.

"Yes, that's right. The chain of command should be uniform." He explained. "We would want to avoid further confusion."

The Tsuchikage, who had been silent since Danzo spoke, piped in. "The question is…" he trailed off, thick eyebrows creasing together, "who will have the authority over this new army?"

Each Kage shot the others a quick glare, a new found tension radiating off their auras. Mifune resisted the urge to sigh, and rightfully so, at their childish behavior. "You will only fight amongst yourselves." He supplied, "So I would like you to acknowledge my position as a neutral country and allow me to decide who is most suited for the job." Looking around, he received numerous nods from the majority. With a deep breath, he spoke up, making his decision known to all, "The only host left is the nine-tailed jinchuuriki in Konoha. I think it will be the basis to all of this. What do you say?"

In her seat, a lump stuck itself on her throat as Katana listened to the samurai's words. Dread crept up her spine as the decision slowly dawned into her mind. "Will you agree to let the Hokage lead this alliance?"

"What?"

Both the Raikage and Tsuchikage stood abruptly, indignation clear on their faces. The remaining leaders, save for Danzo, stayed frozen in their seats, mouths slightly agape in shock. "Why him?" demanded the Raikage again, charcoal black eyes burning with resentment. "He's the embodiment of the ninja world. We can't possibly trust him!"

_I completely agree,_ thought Katana as she squirmed agitatedly in her seat, watching her father defend his side and even go as far as to offer himself to lead the alliance, only for the Iron samurai to cut him off in mid-sentence. "No." answered Mifune before A could finish, igniting a furious reaction from the short-tempered man. "What?" growled the Raikage, hands balling into fists by his sides. Raising an eyebrow, the moderator wordlessly pointed down.

Even without looking down, the Raikage knew he was gesturing at the highly noticeable crack on the smooth surface of the table. The tanned man flushed in embarrassment and made no further objections, except maybe for the irritated glare he sent Mifune. "Emotion maybe essential when it comes to leading strong men, but someone like you who lets his emotions rule him would surely destroy the alliance, the same way you have destroyed that table."

A sigh of frustration made its way out of the confines of Katana's mouth, feeling her own temper flare up. _Maybe if you didn't act brashly and punch a hole in the table_, she thought with an inward grumble, _you wouldn't have such a hard time convincing them that you're fit to be the leader. Come on, Tou-san._ She sighed again, this time a little louder and with a little more desperation. _Don't let Danzo take control over the alliance._ She sealed her eyes shut, hands fisting on the fabric of her shirt tightly.

"I don't know what the Akatsuki is planning do with the nine-tailed jinchuuriki…"

They were wrong about him. She knew they were, for Sai told them all about his smart little plan. _You can't let him, Tou-san. You can't. He'll destroy Konoha._

"And the nine-tailed beast belongs to Konoha. Surely it's right to say that…"

She wanted to jump in. To join the conversation and to make them aware of what lies behind that calm, deceiving exterior of his. The new Hokage was no hero. He was no leader. _Naruto doesn't belong to anybody. Nobody controlled him before and nobody controls him now, but Danzo will, Tou-san. Don't let him, please._ Danzo was just another calculating bastard, a manipulative coward that saw people as stepping stones to reach his goal.

"…the Hokage should undertake th—"

_That's—_

"That's enough." Her orbs snapped wide open, shock reflecting in them. Had she really said the words out loud? For a minute, Katana stiffened, nervousness radiating off her body. Everything was silent, without the occasional mutter or side comments. Deadly silent even, and it made her heart pound faster in anxiety.

"Katana?"

The question broke through her line of thought and she jerked her neck to the side, tensing in reflex when she found Temari inches away from her, studying her in sisterly concern. The blonde reached out a hand, but stopped midway, hesitating. "Hey, are you okay? You seem…tense."

Fear lingered a little bit longer in her eyes before it died out and as if snapping out of a trance, Katana blinked twice, scanning the room and landing her gaze on a standing Kiri-nin. Relief washed over her system. _So it wasn't me after all…  
_

His mouth was twisted into a grimace, disturbingly familiar veins emphasized on the right side of his face. "Hokage", he said sharply and she recognized his voice as the voice she heard before, "let me see your eye beneath those bandages." It was a command, not a plea. And coming from a jounin, someone who should know better than to order around those with positions higher than him, it certainly shocked everyone.

"Ao, calm down." The brunette Mizukage told him softly, shifting in her seat in an attempt to stand up. The tall man gestured for her to stop and that, 'don't worry, I've got it'.

"His eye", drawled Ao slowly, his frown deepening, "belongs to Uchiha Shisui and it seems to be implanted in him. I've fought Shisui once. He had the power to control his opponent's mind without them noticing it. It's one of the most powerful eye techniques. My own right eye is a souvenir from a battle with a Hyuuga. I've seen through the genjutsu placed on the 4th Mizukage, so you can't fool me."

The new information startled everyone out of their seats. The Raikage shot upwards in anger, sending his chair toppling over. He pointed a straight finger at Danzo. "You bastard! Are you controlling—?"

In the middle of the U-table, a milky-white, half-human, half-plant body shot out of the floor, startling everyone in their seats with its teasing, "Hellooooo!" Jounin bodyguards sprang into action, including Katana, appearing right before their masters, hands and weapons on the ready.

"Now what?" demanded the furious Raikage, fury etched hard on expression, eyes ablaze.

As if on cue, the plant-like man smiled widely and announced to them in a sing-song voice, "Uchiha Sasuke is here somewhere. But the question is…where exactly?"

Several eyebrows flew upwards in response, a certain brunette being the first one to react on the name 'Uchiha Sasuke'. Grey eyes wide and heart crashing into a full stop, Katana felt a flurry of emotions rising from the pit of her stomach up to her throat where it latched itself and threatened to choke her. Wave by wave nausea hit her, the overwhelming feeling pain, relief, anger and sadness crushing the air out of her lungs.

The questions that rose in the surface of her mind effectively drowned out any hasty muttering and muted comments around her. Where was Sasuke? Why was he here? Did he really kill her uncle? Or worse, what would happen if the Raikage got his hands on him?

The last thought pushed her out of the daze, her senses suddenly on high alert as she gave the room a quick but thorough glance. The sight of her father's back facing her as he held the –without a doubt— Akatsuki member by the neck took her aback. Without wasting another moment to hesitate, she ran away from the crowd, shoving past the giant doors that blocked her way.

_Concentrate, concentrate!_ She told herself, closing her eyes while she sprinted through the endless halls. She focused, inhaling shakily as she searched hard for the chakra signature she was familiar with for years. _He's got to be here somewhere!_ It's been long, too long, since she encountered his unruffled and serene chakra. He changed over the months, Katana knew, but he couldn't have changed that much. _Could he?_ She asked herself silently, uncertainty filling her.

"Destroy!"

The static voice rang in her ears and she changed course, opening her eyes as she opted instead to follow the direction of the harsh order. Not long after she shifted altered her route, the blood-curdling screams of samurai soldiers reached her. Alarmed, she rushed her speed more, not caring about the throb of her aching feet as they continuously hit the floor.

* * *

"Sasuke!"

Exhausted panting and labored breath accompanied the urgent tone. "Sasuke, where are you?" She called out for the nth time, her throat feeling dry and parched from all the shouting she did. A thin layer of sweat masked her drained face, lips that were usually a healthy pink turning into a ghostly shade of pale blue. Her legs felt like they were made of glass, stiff and fragile, her knees buckling with every step she took. Her bandaged limbs were screaming for rest, her eyes bloodshot and eyelids heavy.

"SASUKE!" she yelled for one last time in pure desperation, using the last bit of her strength to draw another lungful of air after it.

Then, silence. There was no reply, no sound to confirm his presence. She sighed, eyes closing against her will as she lowered her head in frustration. _Why can't I find you anywhere, Sasuke?_

"Long time no see…Katana."

Eyes shot open and her head snapped up in full attention at the smooth voice that erupted out of nowhere. She stared—gawked actually, at the tall, dark-haired teen covered in blood. Even with the composed look on his face, Katana couldn't help but flinch at the unwavering icy glower he sent towards her way. There was so much tension in the air between them; so much blood, so much hatred and pain that it suffocated her.

After a moment of breathlessness, the girl finally found control on her own voice again and she blurted without thinking, "Sasuke, what happened to you?" Her old friend didn't answer. Instead, he took slow, deliberate steps towards her and by instinct, she took a single step back.

_This…_she thought, eyebrows drawing together, _is not the Sasuke I knew._ Fingers curled around the hilt of her weapon when he neared another step and she drew it fully when he closed in on her personal space. He stopped then but never ceased glaring coldly, mouth opening in a reply when a loud explosion interrupted the two.

They both turned to the side, eyes straining to see through the thick fog that the blast created. Out came an enraged, broad-shoulder man at a speed you'd think he'd never possess, with his aura crackling with electricity.

"Brat! I'll teach you to fear my anger!" roared her father, charging head on at Sasuke.

Panic enveloped Katana as she watch the two men rush for one another, both their fists pulled back in a lightning jutsu. She ran in between before she even had the chance to change her mind.

"Tou-san, Sasuke, STOP!"

**End Chapter**


	31. Chapter 31 Remaining Hope

**Author's Note: **A week and 2 days, that's gotta be my best record yet! Don't I get extra credit for updating early?

As usual,** Enjoy and Review**, people!

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 31: Remaining hope

"Tou-san, Sasuke, STOP!"

The plea went unheard, drowned out by the roar of both men as they charged towards one another along with the shrill cry of lightning on their hands. Katana stood in the middle and—unable to do anything else, watched as the two hastily closed in on her. Bringing her hands together, she wove seals quickly. "Kuroi Ka—"

Before she could finish the jutsu, something pushed her off the way of danger and sent her tumbling down roughly on the side while A and Sasuke clashed with each other. A deafening boom erupted from the collision and from the smoke, the Raikage and the avenger landed on their feet, back on their starting points. Pulling out his katana and forming another chidori on his palm, Sasuke wasted no time in attacking again.

"Are you alright?"

Jerking her head to the side, Katana saw Darui barely meters away, groaning and stumbling his way over to her. He dropped down on a crouch, inspecting her from the corner of his eyes. "Please stay here, Katana-sama." He requested, swallowing to relieve his dry throat. "Stay here and wait for the back-up. Boss wouldn't really want you to be caught up in this fight." Another explosion sounded and both of them turned to the heated battle.

In growing anxiety, Katana watched as two other shinobi took their positions beside Sasuke. "I'll leave Shee to protect you, Katana-sama." Muttered Darui, picking himself up from the ground. "Wait!" she tried to call out, but the jounin was already out of earshot. Running a hand through her hair, she inhaled shakily, gathering her nerves as she got to her feet. With her hidden wounds aching and chakra level not very high, she didn't know if she could handle a fight while still being in the state of recovery. Eyeing her father's bulky form as he fought, she contemplated whether to join or not.

_If I let them fight, _she thought gravely, _they'll kill each other. But if I interfere…which side will I take?_

A sudden whoosh of cold air made her whirl back sharply, hand immediately flying and drawing her sword. A metallic clank sounded as her weapon and a stouter sword clashed, her eyes darting up to glare at the pale-haired teen that snuck up on her. "Hiya." He greeted with a teasing smirk, sharp, white teeth poking out at the corners of his mouth.

"Name's Suigetsu Hozuki, Sasuke's—well, I wouldn't say friend. I'm more of a partner in crime, actually." He laughed darkly but his force against her sword didn't lessen. "I heard you're Katana, Raikage's daughter." Suigetsu said, his violet eyes glinting in something she couldn't quite name. "Am I right?"

"Indeed, I am." Katana replied dryly, throwing off his weapon with a harsh slide of her hand. "What's it to you?" In a fluid motion, she sidestepped, falling into a defensive stance. The boy offered a toothy grin. "He also told me to watch out for your temper. Said you get violent when you're all riled-up."

"That doesn't answer my question."

With a chuckle, Suigetsu shook his head, slinging his broken sword over his shoulder carelessly. "Sasuke, the bastard that he is, ordered me to take you hostage. That way, the Raikage'd let us pass without killing us. Don't worry, we'll let go of you right after that, of course."

A snort answered him, her grey orbs narrowing. "Do you really think I'd let you capture me that easily?" she asked him, blood boiling with infuriation. The grip on her sword adjusted, fingers coiling dangerously around the hilt. Suigetsu shrugged. "Not sure, really." He threw her a wry glance, one side of his mouth quirking up. "But I'm about to find out."

The boy swung his arm forward and Katana brought her sword up to block the blow. She delivered a kick to his chest, sending him staggering backward with an 'oof'. Katana swiped at him, grunting in irritation when he dodged it. Leaping forward, Suigetsu struck a hard blow by her side. She blocked, sweat pouring down her face as she fought back the larger weapon. The two locked their blades, both of them pushing off the other with all their might, neither wanting to back down.

"I won't lose to a girl." Said Suigetsu, his grasp on the sword handle slipping down. He glared at her, teeth ground together in concentration. Katana scoffed, furrowing her eyebrows as she whispered, "Well you know what? I won't lose to a jerk either." She shoved him away, knocking him off balance. Taking the opportunity while he stumbled with his feet, she fell into a crouch, swiping him off the ground with her leg. He tumbled down, landing on his back with a startled yelp.

Suigetsu looked up just in time to block the blade that has been brought down on him, eyes widening as the glinting metal edge brushed softly against his cheek, earning him a shallow cut. "You bitc—" He was interrupted by a rough upper-cut to his jaw, causing him to bite his tongue and bleed.

Katana jostled herself up, jumping a safe distance to regain her composure while her opponent scrambled angrily on his feet. The white-haired shinobi glowered at her, purple orbs screaming rage. "Forget what Sasuke said about abducting you." He spat out, wiping blood away from the corner of his mouth. "I'd rather slice you into bits and take your pretty sword afterwards."

Katana returned the glare, eyes swirling, turning into a void of black and gold specks. "Try me, Hozuki." She dared, the protective black flames automatically engulfing her body. "I'll shred you to pieces."

The boy charged with a snarl, pulling his arm back for a quick inside thrust when he saw that she left herself open. A sudden burst of flames made him recoil back, his chakra being sucked out forcefully when he was near it. He winced, squinting his eyes. "What the hell?"

A hard blow on his gut took him aback, pain that radiated throughout his body catching him unguarded. He gasped, losing the grip on his sword and doubling over in agony as his body shook violently. A swift kick to his jaw made him tumble over and the unconscious boy landed on his back, melting into a puddle of jelly-like liquid.

Katana grimaced, electricity crackling around her. Beads of sweat traveled down from her forehead to her chin, her breath ragged and uneven. "Good riddance." She muttered, wiping sweat away from her face. She turned her back on him, eyes analyzing the battle between Sasuke and her father.

Sharp, jagged rocks littered the place, floors were crushed and holes were all over the thick walls. Her father stood by the side, covered by his lightning armor, the juncture of his shoulder bleeding in an open wound. Her gaze scanned the overturned place once more, in search of a certain raven-haired Uchiha. _Where is he? _Katana asked herself, eyebrows furrowing ever-so-slightly in worry. _Don't tell me Tou-sama got him for good…_

As if to prove her unspoken statement wrong, the avenger rocketed up from under a pile of debris, hurriedly charging towards the older man. The Raikage countered easily, grabbing the teen and locking him upside down. Sasuke struggled against the hold, jerking and kicking until the Kage's grasp on him loosened. Quickly he jumped away from the heavily built man, his irises altering into star-shaped red and black, his own Mangekyo Sharingan.

_Just like Tou-san's—Kakashi-sensei's eyes…_She thought, redirecting her gaze away from his eyes and to the lower half of his face instead after a tentative glimpse. _When did he get them?_ Dark, crimson liquid appeared in her view, oozing in a deliberate pace down his cheek. Eyebrows flew up in alarm and giving in to the momentary temptation, she looked up at him. Blood welled and spilled from under his eyes, falling to the ground as tiny, red droplets. He glared at the Raikage, menacingly cold chakra clouding around him like a thick fog.

A black ball of fire ignited out of nowhere, causing everyone to snap their attentions to it. It aimed for the Raikage at a pace too fast to be followed by their eyes, planning to tackle him head-on. The tanned man enveloped himself dodged it with unnatural speed, charging for the S-rank nin. The bypassed ball of flame hit an unsuspecting samurai square in the chest, knocking him off balance.

The man let out a surprised squawk that was later on followed by an agonized scream. His comrades hastily approached his side, trying in vain to extinguish the ceaseless fire. They could only watch in horror as the black flames devoured their teammate in a torturously slow pace that had him writhing in pain.

Swirling black and gold eyes were wide as they gaped at the man ablaze, fear creeping up her spine in an all too familiar way. She swallowed tightly, her gaze darting to the still avenger that was covered from head to toe with the black flames. _Sasuke…What the hell happened to you?_ A massive blur made its way to her line of sight, rapidly drawing near Sasuke's back.

Alarm bells rang inside her head and eyes widening further, she screamed in panic, "Tou-san, DON'T!"

The enraged leader disregarded her call and brought his arm down on the blazing shinobi, successfully striking the missing-nin on the head. Taken aback, Sasuke winced as he took the full impact of the hit, dropping limp to the floor. Ignoring his arm that had been caught on fire, the Raikage leapt, sending a powerful kick down on the dark-haired boy. "Guillotine Drop!"

"TOU-SAN!"

A flying silhouette tackled the Raikage in mid-air, sending both of them skidding away from Sasuke. Katana snapped her eyes shut as she hugged her father, bracing herself for the rough landing.

"Ugh!" She heard her father grunt in discomfort from under her but other than a dull thud, the collision she expected never came. She quickly rolled off to the side, inspecting the man's burning arm in worry when something caught her attention. She squinted, her eyes on the floor, watching as specks of dust slither away from under them. Sand.

Inhaling sharply, she jerked her head up and saw the recognizable redhead standing from across the spacious hallways, with his arms crossed over his chest while sand encircled his lean frame.

Not long after he came, his siblings made their entrance, standing in their battle stances beside him. Kankuro extended his chakra strings far off to the samurai on fire, attaching them on his armor and tugging them off with a quick flick of his hands. The man inside let out a breathless gasp, falling unconscious to the ground. His teammates were quick to go to his aid, automatically hauling him to their shoulders.

"Stand back, samurai." Gaara ordered in a monotone, his aquamarine eyes never leaving Sasuke's form. "This battle is between us shinobi. There's no need for you to get caught up in this fight." The group of men nodded gratefully, slightly bowing to him before making their exit.

Relief washed over her system and knowing that it was safe to turn her back from Sasuke, Katana faced her father, eyeing his arm in worry. "Hold on." She said, before slowly reaching out for the limb ablaze. When her fingers came in contact with the undying flames, she flinched, feeling its heat scorch her skin. _I can't touch it. I'll get caught on fire too…_She realized with a grimace, hands curling into fists by her sides.

With a stubborn scowl, she placed her hands hovering over the arm and concentrated.  
Slowly, her own protective black flame spread out, engulfing the destructive fire. Hope flickered in her eyes as she took a shaky breath, hesitantly retracting back her hands. The minute her flames left the Raikage's skin, Amaterasu's fire lit up again.

"Dammit!" Hissed Katana, hastily bringing her hands forward once more when a large hand clamped down on hers. She looked up at the tanned man, meeting his obsidian eyes. Despite the fury present in them, his gaze softened on her and he shook his head. "Don't waste your chakra on something so futile."

"But I can't just—"

He stood abruptly before she can finish, shooting Gaara a furious glower. "Why have you interfered, Kazekage?" he demanded, "If I don't like your answer, I won't let you off so easily!" Following his lead, Katana picked herself up from the ground, standing in front of him. "Calm down, Tou-san. You're still injured."

"I had it all under control!" he snarled again, eyebrows furrowed deeply as his fists shook by his sides. The young man shifted his gaze from Sasuke to him, eyes fearless and unwavering. "If I hadn't interrupted, you would've set your leg on fire too. I doubt you can fight well without two of your limbs." He remarked in a challenging tone, causing the Raikage's face to contort in a scowl.

"You brat! I have survived more—" Hands gripped his forearm, squeezing slightly to earn his attention. He stopped, glancing down on a pleading gaze. "Please Tou-san." Whispered Katana, her eyes darting worriedly on his other arm, "He has a point." The older man followed her gaze, mouth tugging down guiltily. "Fine." He replied, begrudgingly stalking away towards his two soldiers.

Sighing wearily, the kunoichi jogged for her discarded weapon, gaze fixed mainly on the boy in the middle of the wreckage as she snatched it up. Her eyebrows knitted together in a wounded glare, a mixed feeling of anger and dejection made her insides lurch rebelliously.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Regarded Gaara in a tone that held no specific emotion, but his orbs betrayed a flash of disappointment. "Your eyes are still the same."

Grunting, the Sharingan user got to his feet, one hand wiping the blood away from the corner of his mouth as he glared at the redhead. "Sabaku no Gaara…" he drawled out, mouth twisting into a sneer, "so you're a Kage now, huh?" Gaara glared mildly at his mocking tone. Ignoring the rhetorical question, he continued, "Living in revenge does not solve anything. I've realized that. It's not too late for you to do the same. Don't let your hatred possess you."

"If I come back, what's waiting for me there?" Sasuke spat back, his Mangekyo narrowing in insult. "A life behind bars? A death sentence?" The raven-haired shinobi snorted. "I'm not stupid. I know what the higher-ups are trying to do. They're trying to shut me up…just like what they did to Itachi."

"Killing people is hardly a good solution to your problem. It's not going to bring you anywhere. You can still turn your back on that world of hatred, Uchiha." The Kazekage released an inaudible sigh, letting just a little bit of concern to seep in his monotone voice. "You and I are alike, Sasuke. We walked have through the darkness…that's why we are able to see even just a sliver of light. Both back then… and even now."

Blood-smeared lips curled up in a dangerous smirk, Sasuke meeting Gaara eye to eye. "No", he said with a subtle shake of his head, "I have long since closed my eyes to block out that light. My only goal is in the darkness."

Sasuke's answer rang inside Katana's ears, echoing over and over again inside her head. She took a deep breath, letting it out as a ragged exhale as moisture stung her eyes. A heavy lump formed in the back of her throat and she swallowed tightly. Gathering her courage, she found control of her voice again, "It…It doesn't have to be this way." She interjected, making both parties turn to her.

Sasuke faced her, eyes dead with nothing but cold hatred in it. The little spark of hope she saw in his orbs when they last fought had died down completely. Mouth set in a thin line, she said, "It doesn't have to be like this. There's no need for you to run away. You have a family waiting for you back home. Back in Konoha. We used to be happy, Sasuke."

"You… me… Naruto, Sakura... and Kakashi-sensei…" trailed off Katana, voice dropping down to a hushed whisper. She lowered her gaze to the ground, expression softening. "I don't understand why you can't see that—that we've always been there for you." All the words died down in her throat and all she could do was look up at him. "What do you say, Sasuke?"

Silence stretched out between the two former comrades. The Uchiha remained still, his face unreadable, gaze fixed on the girl. Katana waited patiently, a small part of her in the back of her mind still hopeful. Suddenly, a maniac cackle escaped the boy and he erupted into fits of hysterical laughter. Taken aback, the kunoichi tightened her hold on her weapon, body tensing up.

"Do you really think I'm that gullible, Katana?" asked Sasuke after his laughter ended. He shook his head in amusement of some sort, smirk fading into a deadly glare. "You're no family of mine." He hissed, drawing his sword as black chakra gathered around him again. Katana took a step back, her own eyes narrowing. Chakra swirled restlessly around her form, creating a dark protective ball.

"You…and all the others, are nothing but burdens to me. Nothing but mere obstacles in my way." He spat as the energy around him solidified, enclosing him inside a humanoid being. Grinning frenziedly, he motioned to the creature made out of chakra. "This here", he said, giving everyone a good look, "is Susanoo. A defense even more absolute than your sand, Gaara!"

A murmur rose from among the group behind them, all of them tense and anticipating danger. However, Katana stayed where she was, studying the latter intently, not quite believing his statement earlier. "Katana!" She didn't need to look back to know that it was her father's voice, rough with masked worry. "Get away from him this instant!"

This time around, it was her that ignored her father's urgent call, lips pressed tightly in a frown. She simply refused to believe that it was over for him. _There must be a way somehow…to convince him…to bring him back._

Meeting her friend's open eye, she gazed into them warily, searching for something to give him away. There was a flash in his stony eyes that went away as quickly as it came and for a second, she saw his orbs flicker down on the ground before looking up at her again. Realization hit her like a bucket of cold water, sudden and harsh. It was…hope.

"Katana."

Snapped out of her trance, she glanced sideways, her feet stubbornly planted on the ground. Surprise reflected in her face when she discovered that it was Gaara who spoke this time. He said nothing, face blank and calm, but his aquamarine eyes were more than enough to express what he was trying to say: get back here.

As much as she wanted to, Katana found herself shaking her head a 'no' with an apologetic glance and turning her back on them once again. Mustering up all the remaining guts she had left, she took a bold step forward and called out, "Sasuke." The avenger faced her, drawing his sword out with a pleased laugh. "So you think you can take me on?" Pure killing intent radiated off his aura, sending chills to creep up her spine.

"I don't want to fight you." As if to prove her point, she flung her beloved sword away, leaving it to clatter noisily against the floor before settling down. The chakra shield around her crumbled down like a brick wall, her eyes changing back to their normal shade of intense grey as she made her way towards him. Sasuke smirked. "Then you will die."

"You won't kill me." She said, trying her best to hide the doubt in her tone. Katana halted directly in front of him, barely inches away from Susanoo. His eye narrowed, amused expression flying into rage.

"And just how are you so sure of that?" he asked, stepping up closer and allowing the kunoichi to enter the protective shield around him. Right away, Katana felt the prickling sensation of chakra stinging her skin like icy needles and she fought the urge to cower away. Cool metal brushed dangerously against her neck, the sharp blade of Sasuke's katana resting directly on her pulse point. She closed her eyes, muscles stiffening in reflex.

It took every bit of her nerve not to step back, to remain standing in her place where the possibility of death was high. "Because…" she started, swallowing when she felt the metallic edge press on her skin lightly. Her orbs opened, sincere and undeceiving.

"You're my friend."

The Uchiha froze.

Hand reaching up to grasp the latter's arm, she slowly pushed the sword away, letting it fall by the boy's side. She took one last step, completely closing the gap between them. Pushing herself to stand on her tiptoes, Katana wound her arms around the dark-haired shinobi's neck, resting her head down his shoulder. Sasuke stared ahead, his functioning eye wide in disbelief, expression stupefied.

Taking in a shuddering breath, her fingers curled around the material of his shirt, fisting handfuls of it. "I know you won't kill me…" she whispered lowly, mumbling over his shoulder, "because I trust you." She could hear his heart beating rhythmically between them, his cold aura diminishing as she held him. "You're not a bad person, Sasuke. You never were."

"…You're wrong."

Before her mind could even register his words, she was shoved away roughly, landing on her back against the tiled floor. Susanoo's arms whipped out, cutting through the sturdy pillars that held the place. Everyone looked up at the ceiling, faces turning pale as deep cracks appeared on its surface.

"The roof won't hold much longer!" Came the alarmed shout of one samurai. Rocks started rain down on them, the whole place caving in. No one noticed the avenger slip away quietly, using the fact that everyone was too busy taking cover or running at his advantage.

A panicked yell of her name was the last thing Katana heard before something hard was brought down on her head, blurriness altering the images around her. Vision turning red, the girl faded into oblivion.

* * *

Nothing but white haze was all unfocused grey eyes saw when they first opened fully.

"W-Where am I?" croaked out Katana, unable to feel anything in her current position. The girl attempted to sit up but quickly decided against it when a sharp pang shot through her head. Wincing, a hand flew up to clutch it, fingers retracting on contact as a warm liquid ran down them. Blood.

"Please don't do that, Katana-sama." Her head turned sluggishly to the side, meeting the indistinct figure of a blonde shinobi sitting by her side. She squinted, straining her eyes to clear out the shadowy silhouette. "S-Shee? Is that you?"

"Hai." Answered the sensor, plastering a comforting smile on his face as he healed the wound on her forehead. Soon, the light glow of chakra died from his hands and he offered one to help Katana up. Taking hold of the outstretched hand, the young kunoichi hauled herself in a sitting position with difficulty, her body screaming for rest.

"Thanks." She coughed out weakly, pulling her knees up for her to hug. She looked around, scanning the wrecked hallways. Glancing at the jounin, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Shee, why are we here? Where's Tou-san?"

"Raikage-sama and the other Kages are in the headquarters, making their final decisions in preparation for war."

The last word had Katana jerking her torso sideways, eyes narrowing in distress. "War?" she repeated, not quite comprehending what the man said. "Who declared war?" Shee frowned at the question and he replied in a grim tone, "Uchiha Madara dropped by while you were unconscious. He told us what he planned to do about the tailed-beasts and asked the Kages to hand over the Hachibi and the nine-tailed jinchuuriki. When Raikage-sama and the others refused, he waged war against them."

A grimace formed in Katana's face, showing her obvious repulsion against the man. "I thought he already had the Hachibi in his grasp?" asked the girl bitterly, hands balling into fists.

"Not quite. Your uncle's alive, Katana-sama."

Anger drained away from her expression, disbelief etched on her face instead. "Wh-What? He's—Uncle is...alive?"

With an easy chuckle escaping him, Shee nodded eagerly. "Hai, Katana-sama. Killer Bee-sama's alive." he confirmed again, smiling widely when the girl slumped down, sighing in relief.

_So Sasuke didn't kill him after all. And speaking of Sasuke…_

She opened her mouth, ready to ask about the missing-nin when a particularly loud bang made them both turn back, Katana reflexively reaching for her sword. She had just enough time to grab the handle when her father's bulky form entered her view and she relaxed immediately.

Catching sight of his now conscious daughter, A wasted no time walking in a slow pace and all but ran towards them, dropping on his knees. He took hold of Katana's face, inspecting her closely and checking for any signs of a possible concussion.

"Tou-san, m'fine. Leggo of me." Came the muffled protest of the brunette, her face squished. Reluctantly, he let go and she rubbed her offended cheek, looking up at him guiltily. A released a sigh, leaning forward to enclose her in a hug. Katana feebly returned the gesture, murmuring a soft apology. "Sorry if I had you worried."

"Worried? I was scared half to death, young lady." Corrected the Raikage gruffly, pulling back to glare at her sternly. "He almost killed you, Katana! What were you thinking, dropping your guard and marching up to him?"

"He didn't kill me." Argued Katana, crossing her arms aross her chest defiantly.

"But he could have!"

"Yet he chose not to. I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Frowning at his daughter's pigheadedness, A sighed in resignation. "Fine, just—just promise me you won't do it again? I don't know how I'll live knowing I'd let you fall into the hands of an enemy." Hearing the genuine concern, Katana clamped her mouth shut, looking down dejectedly. "I know." She said and with a sigh, she added, "I'm sorry." The Raikage stood, pulling the girl up with him and unusually soft expression shifted business-like at once.

"I want you to go back to Konoha immediately. I'll have Shee make sure you arrive there safely. I will bring along Darui and both of us will search for your irresponsible idiot of an uncle. Am I understood?" At the mention of an escort, Katana's face fell. She was about to disagree when another voice joined their conversation.

"Raikage-sama."

Startled, both father and daughter whirled around to face the redheaded young man that came up behind them. Katana gawked in surprise at the sight of him standing before her, flushing when their gazes met. She looked away hastily, cursing herself inwardly for blushing like an academy student all over again.

"Kazekage-sama. Is there something you need?" asked the man beside her, oblivious to the awkwardness that radiated off the kunoichi. "Since Konoha and Suna are neighboring villages", he began, aquamarine eyes flickering subtly over to Katana, "I'd be more than happy to escort your daughter safely to Konoha." The older man's eyebrows shot upwards, surprised at the bold offer. "If it's fine with you, of course." Added Gaara reassuringly.

Turning to Katana, the Raikage cast her a knowing look. "Is that alright with you?" he asked her, just for the sake of seeing the girl sink in her place further. "Y-Yeah. I-It's um…f-fine with me." She responded, cringing at the amount of stammers leaving her mouth.

"Well then. I see no reason to disagree. Take care of her, Kazekage-sama." The last part of his statement was faintly stressed, giving out a silent warning. With a curt nod, the Raikage made his exit, leaving the two alone.

"So…" drawled out Katana in an effort to ease the tension between them, biting her lower lip when she realized she was failing miserably. Right now, all she wanted was for the ground to swallow her up and make her disappear. "I take it that it's too late to save myself from further embarrassment?" A small smile graced the normally stoic face of the Kazekage and he took a brave step forward, stopping in front of Katana. Shifting his weight back and forth between his two legs, Gaara made it known to the girl that she wasn't the only one feeling nervous. "It's good to see you, Katana." He said finally, his attempt on starting a conversation slightly more successful than hers.

"Yeah." Agreed the sword wielder, eyes softening at his familiar silhouette. "I'm glad to see you too. It's been…what? A year?"

"One year, three months, two weeks and six days, to be exact." Answered Gaara, his beam spreading when she chuckled good-naturedly. "That long, huh?" said Katana, feeling more at ease. "You sure have changed though. You got taller." _And a lot more handsome,_ she added in her mind.

To show that her statement was right, she closed the remaining distance between them, gesturing to the obvious height difference. Silence dawned on the pair and for a moment, all they did was stare at each other, gazes communicating in a way that only they could understand.

Taking a deep breath, Katana reached out to grasp Gaara's pale hand, fingers entwining in a familiar way that created a flutter inside her. She looked up at him, smiling timidly. "I missed you, Gaara." Ringed orbs lowered further and Gaara leaned down, halting when their faces were barely centimeters away.

Katana felt her heart jump in excitement, heat rushing to her cheeks when their breaths mingled together. "I missed you too." Murmured Gaara, lips brushing softly at the action. Slowly, he descended, pressing his lips gently against hers in a sweet kiss.

**End Chapter**


	32. Chapter 32 Team 7, Reunited!

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 32: Team 7, Reunited!

Cold, white dust fell from the sky above them, the ground covered with nothing but snow. Fog escaped Katana's parted mouth as she breathed out, throat parched and frozen from the icy air. Narrowed and unfocused grey eyes squinted, straining to see clearly through the white veil that blocked her sight. The persistent sting of her wounds, particularly the latest one that was carved on her forehead, did nothing but add to her misery, aching every five minutes or so.

"Something wrong, jan?"

Katana turned to the older boy that drew alongside of her, his usual smirk replaced by a stoic demeanor instead. His face, the girl noted, was much easier to decipher when he didn't have his purple face paint on. She knew though from his tone of voice that he was concerned. Mustering what she hoped looked like a carefree smile; she dismissed the worry with a casual wave of her hand. "Nah, this is nothing. Just not used to the cold, that's all." She said, chuckling easily to help convince him. Kankuro smiled lopsidedly, eyes turning back to the path in front of them. "I'll go ahead then."

"Yeah, I'll catch up." Said Katana with a jerky nod and watched as the puppeteer increased his pace effortlessly, leaving her lagging behind. Releasing a quiet sigh, she dropped the relaxed façade, weariness getting better of her. Thoughts in her mind were scattered, all too troublesome to think about. Pain, Akatsuki, the village, Sasuke…war…Even just an attempt on focusing on one gave her a terrible migraine.

She sighed again, hand brushing through her hair, frowning when her fingers got stuck on multiple tangles. She was a wreck; a bloody mess of a kunoichi that hadn't taken a decent shower, meal nor rest since three days ago. Her feet, which full of blisters, were begging for a quick break. Arms were worn-out and stiff, muscles contracting painfully at every movement she made. Katana doubted channeling chakra to relieve her muscle pains would do her any good; if anything, it would result to her collapsing all of a sudden because of chakra depletion.

"Katana."

The smooth voice interrupted her train of thought and startled Katana effectively, causing her to blink a few times before she recognized the person that spoke. "Gaara? Is something the matter?"

"You were falling back too far." He stated as a matter-of-factly, a non-existent eyebrow rising slightly in question as to why. The girl averted her gaze to the ground guiltily and the redhead didn't miss the troubled pinch between her eyebrows. "Oh. Sorry." She said, not really sounding apologetic, as if her mind was occupied by something else.

"Here." Gaara said, hand holding out a light colored cloak. Katana glanced briefly at the snug brown coat in surprise, his affectionate offer distracting her momentarily from her pessimistic thoughts. "Take it." He encouraged when he saw her hesitate, stretching his arm out further for her to grab the clothing.

With a small grateful smile, Katana took the cloak, draping it securely over her shoulders. "Thank you." She said softly to which Gaara nodded in acknowledgement. Looking down, his gaze lingered on her arm a bit longer than necessary. "What happened?" he asked, eyes narrowing. The kunoichi shot him a confused look. "What happened to what?"

"Your hand." He clarified, taking hold of said body part. He raised it up at eye level, fingers tracing the bandages wrapped around it. "I noticed it back at the Kage meeting. What happened to it?"A bitter grimace found its way to her face, the memory obviously unpleasant. "It's…" she trailed off, taking a deep breath to ease her agitated nerves as she recalled the appalling events. "It was Akatsuki." She bit out, unable to stop the ireful tone from coming out as she spoke of the infamous organization. "They attacked Konoha."

"When did this happen?"

"Just two days ago." She answered. "We were all caught unprepared. They came out of nowhere with their gigantic summons, wrecking havoc everywhere. Pain, by himself, caused enough damage to throw Konoha into panic." Pausing temporarily, she swallowed the heavy lump on her throat, remembering the screams, the blood and the corpses that lay everywhere.

Until this time, the scenes of the invasion still haunted her, wounds that were both left inside and out stinging whenever she reminisced about them. "Nothing was left of the village and Tsunade-sama's in a coma. I don't know what happened of the civilians, but last I checked, we didn't lose that many. I-I'm—I'm just not sure of our shinobi though." The words came flooding out of her mouth, all in a rush to be heard.

A quivering exhale left her lips as she finished talking and she was taken aback by the wet presence of tears dripping down from her eyes. She also failed to take notice that they had stopped moving for a while now, both of them now standing in the midst of a snowfall.

Forcing out a tense laugh, Katana wiped away the uncontrolled tears with the back of her hand. "S-Sorry. You must think I'm stupid, crying here all of a sudden. I must be making you feel uncomfortable. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to—damn it, why won't it stop already?" She exploded out of frustration, overwhelmed by the nonstop fall of tears.

Trembling hands harshly swiped the tears off her face, only to have her face wet again by another wave of fresh tears. Red tearstains marked her cheeks, grey eyes turning bloodshot from too much crying. Anger, grief, guilt, confusion and pain were all present in her expression, her body quaking in hysteria.

"Katana."

A pair of strong arms pulled her in, her rattled frame colliding with a warmer, steadier body. "Katana, don't." She struggled against the grasp instinctively, pushing away the figure that held her in place. "Just— just stop." The arms around her tightened, halting all her jerky movements. She shook against him, crying frantically, her eyes shutting tightly in rage. "I'm—I'm sorry." She choked out, hands fisting the fabric of his vest. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry." She said over and over again, the desperation to regain control of herself clear in her tone.

Watching helplessly as breathless gasps and sobs racked the girl's smaller build, Gaara felt his chest contract painfully in something he couldn't quite name. There was something in the way she cried that made him feel like dying for a second time; it hurt, pained him more than he can imagine, creating a need for him to stop her tears himself.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault." Closing his thick-ringed orbs, he held her even closer if possible. The young man tucked her head under his chin, unsure of what to do or what to say next. Finally, he found control of his voice once more, "…Don't cry", he said weakly in a whisper, his voice cracking for once, "please. Everything will be fine. Don't cry anymore."

A few quiet minutes passed by them, nothing but the girl's hiccups and heavy breathing could be heard. Slowly, Katana relaxed, hands holding the boy's broad shoulders for support. Pale fingers brushed away the tears that welled on the corners of her eyes, hand sliding up to caress her exhausted face. Her shaking had stopped, leaving her body leaning against his dependently.

"…Sorry." Katana's voice, hoarse and barely audible, broke the silence that stretched on between them. Firmly, she pushed herself away from him, standing on her unstable legs. Wiping the last traces of tear drops from her cheeks, she turned to him, grey eyes scanning his face. Uncertain, Gaara stared back, his aquamarine orbs narrowed slightly in confusion. Before he could ask, Katana yanked him towards her with a forceful tug, taking him in surprise. He stumbled forward before he could recover his balance, eyes widening when she delivered a quick peck on his cheek. Gaara drew back, staring dumbfounded at the girl. "We should go. Temari and Kankuro won't be happy to see us dilly-dallying." With a couple of blinks to clear out the daze, he nodded once in agreement to her statement. "Of course."

Katana turned to him with a sincere beam, lasting for only a few seconds before she turned her attention forward, the smile plastered on her face then becoming nothing but just another part of her façade.

* * *

Ash grey eyes looked through the crowd of buildings, hotels and restaurants lined up on the right, searching for a certain blonde shinobi that she's been familiar with through the years. Temari said they were presumed to be staying in one of the inns and yet, they had searched almost all the lodgings that can be found in the small town and still no sign of the hyperactive ninja.

Eyelids fell halfway in disappointment as she wearily scanned the place for the umpteenth time that day. Despite her drained demeanor, Katana knew she would be lying if she denied the relief she hid deep inside, a part of her secretly wishing not to encounter the blonde at all. Because if they do find Naruto, how would she explain what happened at the summit? Knowing her teammate, he would surely inquire about it, leaving her no choice but to mention their former friend's name.

_Sasuke_… Katana grimaced as her line of thought went over that particularly sensitive topic, chest tightening in misery as she remembered her failed attempt to bring him back. _Is it really too late to pull you back from that path of darkness?_ She asked inwardly, the idea of him never being with them ever again weighing heavy in her mind.

"Over there!" Temari's voice rang in her ears, distracting her from her current contemplations. The sand siblings made a sharp turn to the left, jumping down in front of a small group consisted of two jounins, a pale shinobi and an orange-clad teen. With a sharp intake of breath, the brunette followed suit, landing ungracefully on her unstable limbs, her feet wobbling at the first few steps. Recovering her balance, she straightened up and braced herself for what was about to come. She looked up with dismay thumping hard on her chest and instantly, Katana regretted doing so in the first place.

Cerulean eyes widened, dread and guilt flickering in them the minute he saw her, causing the kunoichi to freeze in realization. The bad news they brought wasn't the first one he would hear and something in the back of her brain told her that Naruto knew something that was even worse than Sasuke attacking the Kage summit.

"We're here to bring you guys up to speed." Temari greeted the group lightly, all of them oblivious to the tension brewing in between the two friends. "Listen carefully, because a lot went down at the Kage Summit."

As the wind mistress relayed the earlier occurrence to them, Katana had her eyes fixed on the Konoha jinchuuriki the whole time, gaze scrutinizing his expression closely. Eyebrows were drawn together tightly, blue eyes dark and lowered to the ground. A permanent frown was plastered on his face, the bright grin that Katana was used to seeing was nowhere to be found. The girl watched as the shinobi's reaction turned from distressed to grave before finally becoming blank at the biting tone of Temari as she mentioned the avenger.

A tense pause stretched between the two groups when Temari finished her report, the shinobi from Konoha silent as they processed the new information shared. "Talk about a long meeting." Commented Yamato dryly, crossing his arms with a grimace. "I knew Danzo couldn't be trusted."

"I agree." Sighed Kakashi this time, rubbing the back of his neck in weariness. "I'm not sure about the idea of becoming Hokage though. Not that I'm not thankful of Kazekage-sama for nominating me." He said, giving the redhead a casual glance. The young Kazekage nodded once in acknowledgement, assuring the man that he took no offense. "I just don't think I'm fit for that kind of role. I guess I'll have to wait until we go back to Konoha and ask for everyone else's opinion."

Eyebrows shooting up in incredulity, Temari cut in, "Madara just declared war on the whole world. This is certainly no time for politics." Jerking his head down in agreement, the wood-user then added encouragingly, "I have a feeling everyone will accept the decision without complaint, senpai. The elders have considered appointing you Hokage for about a while now anyway." With another sigh of defeat, the white-haired jounin slumped down his shoulders, stuffing his hands inside his pockets. "Then there's Sasuke…" he heard Yamato trail off, "Sheesh. I can't believe he really attacked the Kage Summit."

Kakashi casually glanced back at his student, watching with underlying concern as the normally expressive boy remained hollow and unspeaking. He had been frozen in his place for a while now, not reacting to any of the news. There were no violent or enraged protests from him, not even when Sasuke was brought up into the conversation. The boisterous shinobi simply stood there, both his feet and eyes glued to the ground like a statue.

"Naruto", the Kazekage's voice erupted all of a sudden, startling everyone into shifting their attentions to him. "Just so we're clear, this is war was started to protect both the eight-tailed and the nine-tailed beasts. This is a war to protect _you_, and in doing so, saving the whole shinobi world. Even I, as Kazekage, am putting my life in line for you."

There was a slightest shift in the blonde's eyebrows, knitting even deeper than before. "And if Sasuke, a member of Akatsuki, stands against me…" Gaara said, pausing as he mustered up the courage to continue, "he will be shown no mercy." The jinchuuriki's hooded eyes closed completely, making Katana's heart sink lower at the sight of Naruto looking so sullen.

"Sasuke has stopped looking for you." Stated Gaara, a harsh tone accompanying his deep voice. "He seeks darkness in his own free will." At the redhead's statement, blue orbs snapped wide open in shock and disbelief, his gaze clearly accusing Gaara of being a liar. The sand shinobi stepped up, hand reaching out to pat his friend's shoulder in comfort. "Naruto, you once told me that you will be the future Hokage. Well, I became the Kazekage. If you truly are prepared for the position of a Kage, then as Sasuke's friend, you know what you must do."

Naruto's slumping frame suddenly tensed, his shoulders squaring stiffly as blue eyes narrowed dangerously. Mouth in a firm line, he glowered indignantly at the latter through his stubborn sapphire orbs. The blonde's arm shot up from between them, angrily pushing away the outstretched limb. Ringed orbs widened at the cold gesture of the boy, his pale hand falling down to his side.

Tension surrounded the air of the two and for a minute, Katana almost swore she saw Naruto's hands ball into fists, shaking as if itching to pummel the redhead's face. In three hasty strides, she closed in behind Gaara, grabbing the hand that Naruto previously shrugged off. He turned to her, face immediately relaxing at the girl's genuine concern. "I—"

"Don't." She cut him off before he could start speaking, eyes silently begging him to back away from the enraged blonde. Exhaling softly in resignation, Gaara let her tug him towards his siblings, his back turned to Naruto. Both his brother and sister wore understanding and sympathetic gazes, smiling at him gently. "Come on, jan." Persuaded Kankuro, his gruff voice surprisingly soft when he spoke to Gaara, "Our job here's done. Let's go home."

Gaara glanced down at the girl that stood before him, taking in her pale and crestfallen face. "I'm sorry." He said out of reflex, though truly the boy didn't know what he was supposed to be apologizing for. Lips quirking up in a half-hearted smile, Katana shook her head. "Don't be." She told him, sighing. "It's not your fault. Nobody meant for this to happen."

"I know. But that doesn't change the fact that I still am sorry."

Snorting in amusement, a bitter smile took over the girl's face. "Yeah, well…you know what? I am too." Giving his hand a firm squeeze, Katana looked up at him sadly. He returned the squeeze, thumb brushing across the back of her hand. "I'll be back soon." He promised in a quiet whisper, the grip of his hand on hers slowly loosening. Reluctantly, she let him go, backing away one step.

Gaara's head rose as he stared at the open clearing. "I consider you a friend." He said aloud, the phrase meant for Naruto. "As a child, 'friend' was just another word to me, nothing more, nothing less. But after I met you, I realized that its meaning was what counted." Craning his neck slightly to the side, he spared Naruto a glance from the corner of his eye. "Think carefully about what that word means and what you could really do for Sasuke." Then, turning back, he gave a sharp nod once and said, "Move out."

At the firm command, all three shinobi jumped off the opposite direction, their silhouettes fading away in the flurry of snow. Without Gaara to block her view of the boy, Katana found herself staring at Naruto's unmoving form, his body as stiff as ice. Hesitation crossed her mind before she pushed it away, approaching the blonde with tentative steps. "Naruto." She called out, stopping once she was in front of him. The latter made neither response nor any indication that he heard her. Frustration getting better of her patience, she grabbed both of his shoulders, fingers digging slightly on his back.

"Naruto. What happened? Did Sai tell you something?" Since the pale teen wasn't with them originally when they spoke with the Raikage, the girl figured he had something to do with it. "Naruto, snap out of it and answer me. Did _something_ happen?" she asked, tone clearly impatient and unforgiving at the moment. When the blonde's mouth remained shut, the brunette let out a growl. "Answer me, Naruto." She snapped, giving him a firm shake.

Hope filled her when his lips parted but instead of an answer, a shaky sigh slipped out. "Naruto…?" Grey eyes narrowed in concern, her hands moving from his shoulders to his cheeks. Damp, cold skin met her equally freezing fingers and another shuddering breath escaped the boy. Naruto's parted mouth opened more, his quiet sighs turning into full-blown gasping and labored, heavy panting. Cold sweat mixed with the tears that ran down the sides of his face, his clammy hand shooting up to grip his chest.

"Naruto!" The boy's much larger body fell limp against her, her weak knees buckling under the added weight. Both of them stumbled down the snow and on instinct Katana's arms wrapped protectively around his quivering frame. "Taichou, Tou-san! Help him!" She called out in alarm, fidgeting hands wiping away the sweat off his damp forehead.

The jounins ran to aid her, Kakashi scooping up Naruto with a grunt. Arms went under her legs as Yamato carried the fallen girl easily, his hand brushing away the snow that got stuck on her hair. While doing so, the captain halted when his hand came in contact with her forehead, a frown readily forming on his face. "Looks like you're sporting a high fever yourself, Katana." He said in a stern tone, wincing when the kunoichi's supposed-to-be reply became a fit of harsh coughs instead.

"Quickly, we need to get them both inside." Said Kakashi, his voice laced with urgency and worry. "Sai, lead the way."

* * *

"Yamato-taichou—"

"No."

"—I'm fine, honestly."

"No, you're not."

"No, really. Look, my fever's almost—"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand, Katana?" Asked the jounin with an irritated sigh, glaring mildly at the stubborn girl. Katana matched his look with a glower of her own, grey eyes narrowing in annoyance. "You could've at least let me finish!" she hissed, fisting the warm sheets that covered her lower body. Another hasty 'shh' interrupted her once again, causing the brunette to finally snap.

In her anger, she blindly reached out for the floor, hurling whatever it was she first grasped at the captain. A slipper provided by the innkeeper flew towards Yamato's head, to which he merely dodged with ease. "You're a smart kunoichi, Katana. Therefore, you should already know that flinging a slipper at me won't knock me down unconscious." He said lightly, eyeing the fuming chuunin with concealed hilarity.

"I surely hoped it would." She snapped, turning away from him furiously. Yamato released another sigh, one hand on his head, massaging his aching temples. Normally, Katana was a level-headed shinobi, well-behaved and disciplined compared to her easily distracted peers.

'But on times like this', he thought with an inward grumble, 'she really could be troublesome, much like Kakashi-senpai…Maybe even worse.' He glanced at the unresponsive teen, guilt attacking his rather quickly-swayed conscience when he saw the girl hugging her knees, looking out of the window with a melancholic look in her eyes. 'Senpai just had to open his mouth and blabber about Sakura, huh?'

Shaking his head tiredly, he stood up from his seat, snatched up their medical kit and made his way towards her. "Those wounds need redressing. Give me your arm." He said, kneeling beside the silent kunoichi. Katana made no effort to follow the order but didn't bother resisting when Yamato himself took her right arm. The wood user pushed back the sleeve of her shirt and worked on her bandages quietly, asking her once-in-a-while questions like, 'does it hurt?' or 'did I tie it too tightly?'.

The brunette remained cold towards him, giving him nothing but a fleeting glance when he changed sides to bandage her other arm. The awkward silence and thick tension in the air was enough to make the composed captain squirm uncomfortably in his place, surprising both himself and Katana when he spoke suddenly, "Look, as much as I want to let you aid Sai and senpai, Kakashi himself ordered that we stay here, wait for Naruto to wake up then go back to the village." He tied the bandage cloth securely, stretching out the sleeve and letting her arm drop back to her side. "It's not like I have a choice now, do I?"

"…Actually, you do." Drawled out Katana, her voice still laced with indignation. "You can either follow it like a typical subordinate…or you could let me go and help them, like a good soft-hearted guy you are, Yamato-taichou." She turned to him, grey eyes becoming gentle and persuasive, trying to win him over. Swallowing, Yamato mustered up a firm grimace. 'Talk about a smooth character.' He thought, trying his best to keep up his unyielding demeanor. 'She's just like Kakashi.'

"That face isn't gonna work on me, Katana." He stated, crossing his arms to look adamant. At this, Katana's convincing façade fell apart, lips tugging down in a frown as she rubbed both hands on her face. "You don't understand." She said, eyebrows furrowing in frustration. "I have to be there. Tou-san can't defeat Sasuke all by himself."

"Regardless how strong his opponents might be, Kakashi always finds a way to defeat them or at least, a way to get out of the dangerous situation he's in. Don't worry; he'll bring back Sakura—"

"Sasuke fought all Kages at once, taichou. He fought them and he survived. You have no idea how strong he's gotten now. Tou-san couldn't stand against that kind of opponent, no matter how clever or experienced he is. He cannot defeat Sasuke."

"And you think you can? I doubt it. You'd be lucky to reach them without collapsing on the way."

"At least I try rather than sitting here like a cowar—"

"Being logical isn't cowardice. Letting your emotions rule over you could get you killed. I'd prefer to run away than to attack head on foolishly. I'm disappointed, Katana. I thought you were better than—"

A dazed groan cut their heated argument short and both shinobi turned to their sleeping teammate, who sat up, shaking his head to clear out the blurriness. Clearing his throat uneasily, Yamato distanced himself from the girl to inspect the other one. "You awake now?" he asked Naruto, scrutinizing the lad's startled expression. The blonde blinked at him in confusion, then turned to Katana with the same bewildered look. "What happened?" Naruto inquired, rubbing one of his eyes in exhaustion.

"You scared us, baka." Said Katana casually despite the way her eyes shone with relief. She kicked off her blanket and left her futon, crawling towards him. Katana enclosed him in a one-armed embrace, patting his back comfortingly. "Fainting all of a sudden…Don't ever do that again, Naruto." The boy inside her hold muttered an incoherent apology, hugging the kunoichi back. Drawing back, he faced their captain. "Where's Sai and Kakashi-sensei?" he asked with a frown, the earlier events dawning clearer into him.

"They're chasing after Sakura. Now the three of us will go back to Konoha, under Kakashi-senpai's order." Explained Yamato, his face wary of Naruto's reaction. The younger shinobi only gave a curt nod of understanding before standing up, reaching down for his bag. For the second time that day, Yamato found himself sighing, hand bent on a seal as his other arm molded into wood, stretching out to trap Naruto inside its claw-like branches. "Sorry", he said, not even sounding near apologetic, "but Kakashi-senpai will take care of Sakura. You two will come home to Konoha will me, am I understood?"

Katana answered with a scoff of disbelief, making her way back under the covers while Naruto nodded once again, dropped the bag and said, "I know. I'll rest a bit more before going back to Konoha. I don't feel too good." With that, he strode towards his futon and buried himself under the warmth of the clean sheets. Pleased with the submissive attitude his subordinates were finally showing, Yamato stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants. "That's better now, isn't it?" he muttered, opening the door of their room. "I'll be going to the bathroom for a minute. Don't try anything stupid now."

"Mmhh."

"Hai, taichou."

The jounin went out of the room, closing the door shut behind him. A few peaceful minutes passed by and for a moment, only the howling breeze outside inn can be heard. As if on cue, the two friends peeked from under their blankets, giving each other knowing looks. "Got a plan?" asked Naruto, his sapphire orbs darting anxiously at the closed door then back at the kunoichi. Katana smirked deviously, her hand tapping the floor beneath them lightly. "The floor's wooden." She said as she shifted underneath the covers. "A kunai can easily cut a hole in it. Do you have one?"

"Two, actually." Said Naruto with a chuckle, handing the brunette one of the weapons. Katana gave a jerky nod in thanks, turning her back on him. "Start working, Naruto. And do it quietly." A prod made her look back again, meeting his worried gaze. She raised one eyebrow in question. "Yeah?"

"If we do get out of the hole, don't you think Yamato-taichou will notice our sheets suddenly going limp?" His inquiry made her eyes narrow in contemplation, realizing the flaw of her plan. After a while of reconsidering, the girl uttered one word, "Pillows."

Dumfounded, Naruto blinked twice at her, a baffled frown present on his face. "What?" Looking up at him, she repeated it again. "Pillows, Naruto. You fluff it out and stuff it by your side. That way, when we slip out, the blankets would still look bunched up."

The sound of footsteps nearing their room startled both teens and hastily they dove back in under the covers, but not before Katana made a grab for her beloved sword that lie only a few steps away from her. Evening out her shallow breathing as she heard their captain enter the room once again, Katana gripped the metal handle of the kunai firmly and began tracing on the floor a circle wide enough for her body to fit in.

Silence filled the room as Yamato took his seat on the floor, bringing one of his knees to support his propped up elbow. Resting his chin against his open palm, the jounin released a deep breath, eyes already half-lidded and begging for sleep. When he began to feel the telltale signs of slumber taking over him, Yamato immediately shook himself awake, sitting straight up in order to shrug off the feeling of exhaustion.

As much as he wanted to succumb to his body's desire for rest, he couldn't just leave the two alone and unsupervised, especially since they were highly likely to find an escape route once he let his guard down around them. "Katana, Naruto. We'd better get going." Announced Yamato with a stifled yawn, his eyelids dropping midway in suppressed drowsiness. "Aren't you guys ready yet?" The two lumps under the sheets twisted slightly and it was Naruto who first answered, "A few more minutes, Yamato-taichou. I don't feel like going out yet."

"Me neither." Added Katana, seconding her friend's statement. She coughed harshly from under the covers, then groaned out, "The weather outside is freezing my lungs off. Taichou, can you please turn the heater up?" The jounin sighed dismally, not at all thrilled to move from his comfortable spot. Nonetheless, he stood up and called before going out, "I'll be back."

* * *

"Which way, Naruto?" The rhythmic tapping of rushed feet against the ground rang in their ears as they ran side by side, neither paying attention to the ache of their legs. Naruto inhaled deeply, closing his red-ringed eyes in concentration as he patiently searched for their teacher's chakra in the area. "Kakashi-sensei's chakra's over there!" he said, jerking his head to the right as he changed course. The girl followed his lead, falling into pace with him after catching up.

A good-natured snicker earned her attention and Katana faced the boy, one eyebrow rising up in curiosity. "What's so funny?" The blonde chuckled once again before turning to her, his wide grin in place. "Nah, it's nothing. I just…remember how we used to sneak away from Kakashi-sensei too, when we were younger. This, right now, reminds me of how we used to be in Team 7…" His laughter died down and so did his grin, a sad smile replacing it instead.

"We'll bring him back." Said Katana, looking straight ahead even when the boy craned his neck towards her in surprise. "We promised, didn't we?" An open field soon came in her view, the place an overturned mess and wreckage. "We'll beat Sasuke for sure because no matter how strong he is…together, we're stronger." This time, she looked at him, smiling. Naruto beamed right back and nodded before shouting, "Alright! Let's do this!" The two jumped down in unison, leaping over debris and large craters.

"Don't do it, Sasuke!"

The familiar voice echoed all over the ruins, coming from under the bridge. Hurriedly, the pair sprinted over there, diving down without hesitation. Naruto ran as soon as his feet landed on the water, intervening just in time before the Uchiha can stab their pink-haired teammate with a kunai. In alarm, Katana dashed to where they were standing, skidding into a halt once she was in front Sakura. Hands immediately grabbed the medic's face, moving it up and down as Katana searched for injuries. Seeing none, the brunette let go, letting out a relieved breath.

"K-Katana…" said Sakura, disbelief still clear in her expression. Katana stood up and helped the latter get to her feet, the two of them joining the others. A pang of familiar anguish hit Katana as she looked over to where Sasuke's rigid form stood all alone. "Naruto, Katana." Said Kakashi in front, his mismatched eyes fixed on the missing-nin. "I never expected the two of you to come, especially since I left Yamato to get you back home but… I'm sure as hell am glad you did. I almost lost another student." He muttered and somewhere behind Katana, Sakura looked down guiltily.

"Well, well…Look who's here to fight me. My old comrades…Team 7." Stated Sasuke with a dark laugh, his eyes full of malice and hatred. "Who would've thought that one of the best teams in Konoha would end up like this three years later, eh? Naruto, Sakura, Katana and Kakashi…" He cackled again, shoulders moving in sync with his laughter. Finally, he calmed down, a maniac laugh plastered on his face.

"I'll have fun killing all of you."

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Note:** How'd I do this time, guys? Mind clicking the link below and leave a comment? Come on, you know you wanna. ^^

**Enjoy and review!**


	33. Chapter 33 Face off

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 33: Face-off

Silence… Painfully tense silence stretched on between the broken team, the air around them crackling with murderous intent and blood lust. Pure hatred, black as nightmare, radiated off the Uchiha's aura, his glare on them icy and unwavering. Behind the two shinobi, Katana found herself unable to pry her gaze away from the boy's face. Blood trailed down his cheek in a slow pace, the viscous red liquid oozing out of his eye as a result of using Amaterasu.

The rich crimson fluid clashed with his natural pallor, making his skin look even more chalk-white than it already was. The boy's mouth was fixed in a permanent hysterical grin, his dark eyes wild and crazed. Much to her horror and grief, Katana knew now that this was what his greed for revenge caused. As ironic as it may sound, hatred _blinded_ the Uchiha from his right senses and his desire for vengeance had him dangling in the brink of insanity. The Sasuke that they knew had been long gone; driven mad by rage, he crumbled and withered away, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of his former self behind.

"Sasuke."

"What?"

Surprise flickered on her expression for a moment when she heard the name, her grey eyes darting towards a blonde head. Naruto stepped aside from behind Kakashi, allowing him to get a clearer view of the pale teen ahead. "Sasuke", said Naruto again, his usually vibrant voice holding no amusement, only grave seriousness. "Tobi from Akatsuki told us the truth about Itachi…I don't know if you believe him or not but that—that doesn't matter. I understand now. I understand why you did it."

Eyebrows drew together, knitting tightly in confusion. _Truth about Itachi…?_ She questioned inwardly, reviewing the information she gathered earlier in her mind and searching for something that would somehow be connected. She found none. Grimacing in offense, she realized that Naruto hadn't told her entirely everything, despite reassuring her that he didn't leave out any information he considered important. Deciding to trust her friend's questionable action for the time being, Katana took a deep breath to calm herself, looking over to where Sasuke stood.

The avenger stood as stiff as a statue, mouth agape in incredulity, onyx orbs wide with outrage. He remained frozen for a minute, trying to process what the blonde said before his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Naruto…" he hissed, hands fisting angrily at his sides, "I told you once before, you never had a sibling nor a parent. You don't know what it feels like because _you never had anyone_." Sasuke snarled in scorn, baring his teeth in a sneer.

"So shut up, you OUTSIDER!"

Hearing the roared insult, something inside Katana snapped. She had never been the impatient one and her temper had always been considerably long, but for some unknown reason, all she wanted to do at that moment was to lash out; to charge head-on for Sasuke and beat him senselessly just because it felt right. "You bastard…" the words slipped out of her mouth in a low murmur, her knuckles turning white from the pressure of her balled fists. Without taking time to reconsider her idea, she felt her feet inch forward, her body moving in its own accord, slowly making its way towards Sasuke.

"Katana, stop!"

Two hands followed the alarmed call, latching onto her arms and pulling her back hastily. She struggled pigheadedly against the hold, trying to wrench herself free from whomever it was that grabbed her.

"Katana, please! Calm down!"

With a forceful tug on her bandaged arms, the brunette staggered back in agony, clumsily colliding against Sakura's front. The pink-haired kunoichi kept her grip hard on the latter's limbs, though her voice was urgent and pleading. "Come on, Katana." She whispered shakily, her courageous façade slowly breaking. "Don't rush into things. Let Naruto and Kakashi-sensei handle this." Katana shook head a hard 'no', eyes ablaze as they fixed on their ex-teammate.

"You…" She found herself seething again, feeling her blood boil further at the mere sight of his unabashed scowl. Unable to contain her bottled-up emotions any longer, the girl broke into a furious scream, "You ungrateful, wretched bastard! How dare you call him that! Do you know how long we've been looking for you? How long we've been trying to get you back? Do you, Sasuke, have any idea how much effort Naruto had put into this whole thing?"

While she spoke, Katana thrashed violently under Sakura's grasp, fury distracting her from feeling the burn of her wounds. "He risked everything for you! He even fell on his knees and threw away his pride just to save you! Why can't you see that, you idiot?" Her screaming died down, voice coming out in a hoarse whisper instead. "Even when all of the others turned their backs on you, he believed, he believed that you could still be saved…" The kunoichi stopped resisting her friend's hold, exhaustion getting better of her stubborn resolve to get away.

Dropping her gaze to the water below, she glowered at it, face crinkling in remorse.

"And yet you keep pushing him away." She remarked bitterly, hands clenching at her sides.

A gentle squeeze on her arm made Katana look back, her grief-stricken eyes meeting Sakura's green orbs, rage flashing through them. The latter glared at Sasuke, her gloved hands slipping down from Katana's arm. "Naruto had faith in you, Sasuke!" she called out indignantly, mouth set in a tight frown. "No matter how badly the world degraded you, he still considered you a friend. He still does…"

"Do you think I care?" spat the missing-nin, his eyes narrowing. "No. Just now…just moments ago, I finally got revenge on one of Itachi's betrayers. His name was Danzo, one of Leaf's higher-ups." The corners of his lips quirked up in a self-righteous smirk as he continued, "It was unlike anything I've ever felt. Like I was finally purifying the Uchiha name from its undeserved humiliation that tainted it for years. Like I was breaking its connection with this corrupt shinobi world." He let out a snort, arms entwining across his chest. His expression changed once more, this time morphing in disgust.

"Isn't that what you Konoha shinobi always wanted? After years and years of rejecting my clan, finally, you're going to have it wiped away from your memories. And I'm gonna do just that...by crushing every last one of you!" he exclaimed blissfully, onyx orbs widening with sick pleasure. Sasuke released a roar of hysterical laughter, as if what he said was the funniest joke in the world. "Starting from the elders that manipulated Itachi down to the youngest genin that looked down on my clan…I will kill everyone and destroy the Leaf once and for all. That is how I'll revive my clan."

"You've lost your mind." Hissed Katana in her place, her temper flaring up even more. Out of instinct, her hand flew up to unsheathe her weapon, pulling out the narrow metallic blade for Sasuke to see. Kakashi held out his arm in front, signaling an unspoken command of 'don't do it'. Grudgingly, the kunoichi lowered her sword to her side, her glare still threatening to drill a hole on Sasuke's forehead. Even Naruto, who had his hands up in a Kage Bunshin seal, stopped reluctantly, having no choice but to follow their captain's orders.

"Naruto, Sakura, Katana." Said Kakashi after a pause, the authoritative edge in his voice coming up to the surface. "I want you three to go back there. I'll handle this."

"But, Kakashi-sensei—"

"No 'buts'." Cut off the jounin, his tone uncharacteristically sharp and irritable. "This is my job. Get out of here." He ordered again as he took a battle stance, arms on guard and legs ready to sprint. He released a silent sigh, the usual gentleness creeping in his voice as he said, "I don't want you to see this." Sakura was the first to lose her stubborn streak, her emerald eyes widening in dread as realization sunk in. "Sensei, are you—" she stopped in midsentence, swallowing back the heavy lump of dismay in the back of her throat, "…Are you going to kill Sasuke?"

"Go." Replied the silver-haired man weakly, refusing to answer his student's question. "Just go. Now!" Flinching at the hard instruction, the medic-nin clumsily turned back with suppressed tears in her eyes, jogging away from the supposed-to-be battlefield. "Katana. Naruto." The man regarded the other two with what remained of his patience, sending them a silent warning. It came out almost as a growl of frustration but Katana, who knew him longer and better than anyone else, could hear the hidden desperation in him. Though it hurt to disobey him, she stayed by his side, calm and unyielding. Grey eyes quickly darted towards her other friend and the two shared a look of understanding. Bending her knees slowly, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_I'm sorry, Tou-san._

"Now, Naruto!" Cue to her shout, the brunette launched herself at the jounin's back, tackling him down. A yelp of protest escaped Kakashi as he jerked away, but Katana locked her arms around his torso in a steel-like grip, adding chakra on her heels to hold both of them in place. "Wait! Naruto!" demanded the older man as he kept trying to wriggle free, prying off the latched-on girl. The blonde leapt over them and ran for the raven-haired boy, a ball of compressed and endlessly rotating blue chakra in his hands. In response, a surge of electricity appeared in Sasuke's open palm and he charged, planning to meet the other shinobi head-on. "I won't hesitate for a second!" he yelled tauntingly, grinning like a lunatic. The two closed in on each other, their pulled-back arms meeting aggressively.

Katana winced as a blinding flash of light erupted from in between the boys, consuming everyone and everything into nothingness. The bright radiance seemed to go on forever and for a moment, all they can see was a vast of empty white space. Little by little, the glow died down, their surroundings altering into something recognizable again. The splashing roar of water beneath them reached their ears, the explosion causing a violent ripple in the pond. Both boys were blown apart by the impact, throwing them off back to the direction of their starting points.

Taking advantage of Katana's dazed stupor, Kakashi broke free of her iron hold and ran, jumping to catch Naruto's airborne form just in time before he hit the water. The jounin let him down; retracting his support once he was sure Naruto could stand on his feet. "I thought I told the two of you to get out of here!" Came the sharp admonishment from the team leader, his Sharingan eye both angry and worried. His reprimand went unnoticed by them; his students were too busy looking at the weakened Uchiha not far away.

"I'm certain now." Murmured Naruto under his breath as he evened out the erratic thumping of his heart, droplets of water traveling down his face. Ash-colored eyes flickered at him, Katana's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Certain of what? What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?" The blonde didn't answer her, his gaze fixed solely on Sasuke. There was a sudden shift in the air as a chakra signature popped out of nowhere, indicating that a newcomer joined them.

"I told you to rest, didn't I?" asked Tobi in disappointment as the masked man came out of the thin air, standing beside Sasuke. The Akatsuki member turned towards them, cocking his head slightly to the side. "Nine-tails, huh?" He acknowledged nonchalantly, nodding his head once in mock greeting. "We'll fight them when the right time comes, Sasuke." He reassured the boy, one hand reaching down to pat the teen's shoulder. "For now, we rest."

Wordlessly, Naruto boldly stepped forward, making his way towards the other group. Katana grabbed his hand before he could walk away farther, tugging him back in alarm. "Naruto." She said, a silent plea concealed inside her tone. The blonde merely squeezed her hand gently, soothing her worries away. "Don't worry, I know." He replied without looking at her, his azure blue eyes still glued to the pale shinobi ahead. "There's just something I have to say first." Reluctantly, the girl let go, watching anxiously as Naruto strode in the middle.

"Sasuke", he called out, eyes set in determination, "do you remember what you told me back then when we fought? About those top-class shinobi not needing words to communicate?" The boy took a few deliberate steps nearer, never taking his gaze off the latter. "We've become top-class shinobi, Sasuke. When our fists collided, did you see what was in here?" he asked, placing a hand on top of his heart. "Did you see what'll happen? If we fight again…" Naruto trailed off, stopping just meters away from Sasuke.

Pausing and narrowing his orbs meaningfully at the boy, he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "We're both gonna die."

Everyone froze at his statement, all taken aback by the sudden revelation. When no one said anything, the shinobi continued, "This fight is unavoidable if you really do attack Konoha. So keep your hatred and let it grow, then hit me with it in full force. I'm the only one who can bear your wrath. So I'll bear your vengeance…and we'll die together!" The missing-nin's face wrinkled in ire, his thin eyebrows digging deeper as he clenched his teeth.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Sasuke exploded in outrage, expression turning dangerously livid. "Why the hell do you care so much anyway? Why?" he demanded, taking a brisk step forward. "Answer me!"

"Because I'm your friend."

Uchiha Sasuke halted in his tracks, his fury vanishing all of a sudden, replaced by a mixture of surprise and disbelief. A good-natured grin broke across the blonde face when he saw the other's expression and he chuckled. "You know, Sasuke, we've been able to communicate through words properly. The only way we understand each other is through fists." He raised one balled-up hand, the grin on his face widening. Remember what I said: We're not wannabe-genins anymore; we're exceptional shinobi now, so I'm not giving up. I'm never giving up!" With his beam fading away slowly, Naruto lowered his eyes to the water below and forced out a dry laugh.

"Still, I'm done talking to you. Hell, I'm an idiot who can't even explain anything properly! I shouldn't be here lecturing you." This time, a melancholic smile ghosted over his lips and Naruto ruffled his already messy hair even more. "If it really ends like that...us both dying, I mean, and then we won't be Uchihas or jinchuurikis anymore. There'll be no more burdens to bear and hopefully, we can understand each other in the next world."

Getting over his shock, Sasuke grimaced stubbornly. "I don't want to change. I never will. And what's more, I'm not gonna die. You are." His words were half-heartedly spoken unlike before; they lacked power and authenticity.

A few silent minutes passed by them before Kakashi decided to walk up to Naruto, gently bringing a hand down his shoulder. "Enough." He told the boy, concern scribbled all over his masked face. "I'll handle Sasuke. You still have a dream, Naruto. No matter how hard he has fallen, don't let him drag you down—"

"How can I call myself Hokage if I can't even save one friend?"

At this, Kakashi fell quiet, his hand falling down from Naruto's shoulder. The jinchuuriki sighed, mouth set in a firm line. "The only person Sasuke's gonna fight...is me." A soft snort came out of Sasuke as a response, his dark eyes closing. Lips curling in a familiarly smug smirk, he opened one eye to look at Naruto. "Have it your way then. I'll kill you first." Finally coming to terms of understanding, the raven-haired boy spared his former friend a last glance before the mask-wearing Akatsuki patted down his hand on Sasuke and both vanished into a void, leaving the three members of Team 7 all by themselves.

Katana found herself staring blankly at the empty space, her mind still processing the sudden turn of events.

_Sasuke's gone again…_

The thought kept repeating inside her head like a broken record until the idea of it fully sank into her, causing a miserable sigh to escape her lips. The thoroughly exhausted girl closed her sleep-deprived eyes, tilting her head back in an attempt to ease the throbbing pain in her temples.

The sound of a throat clearing caught her attention. "You okay there, Katana?" The question— based on the deep, smooth voice and the underlying worry in it— without a doubt, came from Kakashi. Katana nodded once in affirmation, not even bothering to look at him because doing so would require opening her heavy eyelids once more. It was just too much work.

Loud 'poof'ing noises of Naruto clones startled her out of her relaxed position and immediately her eyes snapped open to glance at Naruto, whose face was a sickly shade of green. He wobbled on his feet a bit like a drunken person, his eyes hazy and unfocused. Katana narrowed her eyes with little amusement. "Oi, Naruto, what the hell are you doin—" Before her statement was completely delivered, the staggering boy fell over his back and would have been submerged under water had Kakashi not caught him in time.

Alarmed, the brunette knelt beside the knocked-out boy, scrutinizing his face for injuries of any kind. A small, clean cut on his cheek was all she could find but the silver-haired man knew otherwise. "Sakura!" he yelled out quickly, sounding calm despite seeing foam come out of Naruto's mouth. "Bring us the antidote! And hurry!" He added, emphasizing the last word. The younger kunoichi blinked twice in confusion, looking up at him through a bewildered gaze. "Antidote?"

"Poisoned kunai." Answered Kakashi sheepishly with a sigh, scratching his ear. "This idiot never fails to get into some sort of trouble." In seconds, the pink-haired was by their side, cursing and apologizing for her mistake. "S-Sasuke used the kunai I poisoned, didn't he?" Sakura stuttered out, shrinking in embarrassment in her place as Kakashi poured the liquid down Naruto's throat. Katana pursed her lips, unsure of how to answer.

"Yeah. Pretty much, I guess."

A groan emitted from the previously unconscious teen and he shifted a little, wincing when he felt another sharp jab on his stomach. "Ugh, it hurts…" he whined, squirming in discomfort. Relief flashed on Kakashi's face when he saw the blonde stir and he motioned for Katana, lifting Naruto's head from his support. "Hold him. I'll go get the girl." He said, transferring Naruto on the brunette's lap before she could ask who the girl was.

"Mmhn…K-Katana-chan? Sakura-chan?" mumbled Naruto in question, his words still a bit slurred. The medic beside Katana inched closer to them, hand rubbing Naruto's arm in comfort. "Sorry, Naruto." She apologized guiltily, positioning her other hand over his upset stomach. Green, healing chakra glowed out of her palm and immediately, the boy relaxed. "I didn't mean to cause you trouble."

"Nah, s'kay, Sakura-chan." Said the blonde with a casual wave of his hand, though the dazed look on his face was still present. He grimaced then, clutching his stomach gently. "Still feel like dying though." He admitted, closing his eyes. Katana shook her head slowly, letting dark brown strands of hair to frame the sides of her face. She sighed again, this time out of relief, a smile threatening to take over her face. "You're gonna be just fine, baka." She said, reaching down to brush away the yellow wisps of hair that was splayed over his forehead. Naruto let out a contented little hum, enjoying the temporary peace they had.

"Time to go."

The declaration made Katana turn her head back, the sight of the jounin carrying a redheaded girl on his back taking her by surprise. "Who's she?" she asked curiously before a darker thought entered her mind, her eyes narrowing involuntarily. "Another one of Sasuke's innocent victims?" Kakashi shook his head, looking at said girl from the corner of his eye. "No. She's his comrade, actually. Well, _was_ his comrade. Sasuke betrayed her after she fell into Danzou's hands while they were fighting."

"I see." Mutter Katana, eyebrows furrowing in obvious disappointment and misery. As soon as their captain started walking, the three others followed his lead, all eager to finally go home.

* * *

"Uh…"

Katana blinked twice at the scene before her, mouth agape in speechlessness as her brain tried to process the view. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she frowned, settling for a firm, "Huh." Apparently, her mind failed to understand the given situation. Her pink-haired teammate let out an embarrassed laugh by her side, looking utterly ashamed. "Yeah, I know. This wasn't exactly the best of my ideas—"

"That's a total understatement, Sakura." Cut off Kakashi from their left, causing the medic-nin to wince. "They were only trying to help you, after all. I expect you to apologize to them as soon as they wake up."

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei." Nodded Sakura obediently, glancing down at the three asleep shinobi and one snoring dog. A disgruntled snort came from Naruto, his face sour with annoyance. "While you were going in a crazy rampage out there, these guys were here all that time, snoring like bears?" he scoffed incredulously, stomping towards the trio of snoozing shinobi. Sakura bit her lip worriedly, chuckling awkwardly again. "It was my fault, Naruto. Don't be too hard on them."

The blonde unceremoniously dropped like a log to the ground, causing everyone to jump at the unexpected thud. Irritation flashed through Sakura's earlier concerned look. "You're passing out again?" she demanded, her hands on her hips. Ignoring her question, the boy fell fast asleep in seconds, silent snores escaping his parted mouth steadily.

"Sakura…right? You're the one who poisoned the kunai in the first place." Reminded the girl on Kakashi's back in a low voice, sounding unsure on how to act around them. Sakura groaned in defeat, her back slumping dejectedly. The silver-haired man gave an easy laugh, his visible eye creasing in amusement. "Why don't we stay here for a while? Just until they wake up." He suggested, bending his knees to lower the redhead down.

With a grunt of thanks, Katana plopped down on a soft patch of grass by the roadside, leaning back against the sturdy bark of a tree. She took a deep breath, inhaling the relaxing scent of the forest. Rebellious, drooping eyelids descended down as the girl finally succumbed to her body's plea for rest.

* * *

The repetitive bumping motions jostled Katana up and awake, much to her displeasure. Throbbing muscles, a stiff neck and a pounding migraine inside her head were the first things that greeted her back from slumber, making her regret even sleeping at all. An irritable whine escaped her and she twisted in her place, only to feel the sensation of falling backwards. _What the—? _

On instinct, Katana flung her arms around whatever she could grab first, her hands coming in contact with strong, muscular shoulders. Only then did the girl realize that she was being carried around and she blinked rapidly, trying to shake away her dizziness. Hands adjusted their grip on the underside of her knees, their hold on her tightening securely. She raised her head and stared unfocusedly at black, shiny locks of hair, bouncing along with the pace of walking.

"Lee…?" Her voice was barely audible, raspy from sleep and her throat was almost impossibly dry, causing a frown to form on her face. She really hated waking up like this.

"Oh! Katana-chan! You're finally awake, I see."

The cheerful boy turned his head back to face her, his wide eyes and bright smile meeting her baffled expression. "How are you feeling?" he asked, bushy eyebrows drawing deeply together in a moment of concern. The girl looked at him dazedly, her vision still not of the best. "I'm…fine, I guess." She said weakly, dismissing away his worry. "Why am I being carried by you anyway?" The energetic shinobi shifted his attention back to the path, the smile on his face never faltering. "Kakashi-san didn't want to wake you so I carried you instead. Do not worry, Katana-chan! You can still rest while we're on the way to Konoha! It's probably just another 100 meters away or so."

Katana nodded silently at his explanation and did a quick scan of her surroundings. At their right, Kiba, Sai and Naruto bickered nonstop, Akamaru joining their yelling match with his own barks of protests from time to time. Off to their left, Sakura strode in a relaxed pace, humming a quiet tune under her breath. In front, Katana could see Kakashi's silhouette, covered by the back of the redheaded girl he was carrying.

"You can put me down now, Lee." She said, patting the older boy gently on his shoulder to grab his attention. He shook his head at her request and kept on walking, his smile still present on his booming voice as he spoke, "That isn't necessary, Katana-chan. I can put you down once we reach Konoha."

"I can walk by myself. It's alright, I'll be—"

"You need your rest." Lee interrupted her midway, his compassionate tone sounding unusually stern. "You are still running a high fever." At this, the kunoichi's frown tightened, using the back of her hand to feel her forehead. As soon as her clammy hand came in contact with her face, she retracted it instantly, startled by the heat radiating off her skin. Overcoming her shock, Katana sighed in resignation, her form slumping against Lee's bulkier body. "Are you sure?" She asked after a minute of contemplation, trying for the last time to convince him, "I wouldn't want to be a burden."

"Of course!" Answered Lee eagerly with a small chuckle, his shoulders shaking slightly in sync with his laughter. "This is also considered as training, after all! Surely, Gai-sensei will be proud of me!" She raised one eyebrow in a mixture of disbelief and hilarity, unable to prevent a smile from creeping in her expression. She shook her head and sighed again, deciding to rest her head against his back for the time being.

"Katana-chan? You awake now?"

The brunette inclined her head to the side where Naruto was, returning the blonde's grin with a small beam of her own. "Hey. You feel better now?" she asked casually, studying his form up and down just to check. But seeing the genuine happiness and carefree beam on his whiskered face, Katana knew that her worry wasn't needed anymore. Naruto was alright now—at least better than before, with his arms crossed behind his head in a nonchalant manner.

"Yeah." He answered, chuckling guiltily. "Sakura-chan's antidote finally worked its magic on me."

"Sleeping Beauty's awake? Good." Piped in Kiba from beside Naruto, his voice sounding gruff and rather sharp. "Some nerve you have, sleeping in the middle of a mission." He spared the girl a glance before turning away with a huff, his face fixed on a permanent-looking grimace. "You look like shit, by the way." He informed her, earning a horrified gasp from the spandex-wearing shinobi.

Lee shot Kiba an incredulous stare, making his eyes look even bigger than it already was. "Kiba!" scolded the taijutsu specialist, his expression appalled by Kiba's attitude. "That is not the way you should greet a girl!"

Naruto grunted in annoyance, backing the latter up supportively. "Bushy Brow's right, Kiba. Lay off Katana-chan, will you? She didn't even do anything to you, jerk."

"It's fine, Lee, Naruto." Katana murmured in reassurance to them before turning her head sideways, facing the Inuzuka. Normally, Kiba was vibrant and boisterous, much like how Naruto is, but even he had his moments. Right now, he seemed to still be in a foul mood. Sighing tiredly, Katana raked her fingers through her hair, adding a little bit more pressure to ease her headache. "I'm aware of that fact, Kiba." She said, trying to sound as patient as possible. "I probably smell like shit too. It's not like I had any choice though. Pain attacked the village, wrecked everything, and then Danzo becomes Hokage all of a sudden. What's a girl supposed to do, take a shower while her village is in chaos?"

The ill-tempered boy shrunk back at her statement, averting his gaze down on the ground guiltily. Katana waited for his response, never taking her eyes off his form. She watched as he let out a dejected sigh and faced her again, looking less grouchy this time around. "Sorry." He mumbled, jamming his hands deep inside his pockets. "I didn't— I wasn't…I didn't mean to snap at you like that, Katana-chan. I'm sorry."

Her gaze softened as soon as she heard his apology and once more, she leaned against Lee. "It's okay, Kiba. I understand. We're all stressed by the sudden string of occurrences, ne?"

"Yeah." He said, nodding slowly. The boy gave her a fleeting look again, clearing his throat awkwardly. "And you…" he trailed off, swallowing slightly as a faint blush appeared on his face. "You don't smell like shit." The girl blinked at him in confusion, her eyebrows knitting together; she wasn't quite following where he was going with his statement.

"What do you mean?" She couldn't help but ask, the blush on his face bewildering her.

"Y-You…" Kiba began, squirming uncomfortably as he walked. He cursed under his breath and closed his eyes, suddenly blurting out loud, "You smell like Kazekage-sama, Katana-chan." His remark made both Naruto and Lee stop walking in shock and with the addition of Kiba, the trio of boys turned to look at the girl. Katana gave Kiba a wide-eyed stare, her face heating up and turning into a violent shade of red. Her eyes darted down to their feet and she swallowed hard, fidgeting in her spot. "O-Oh."

In frustration, the dark-haired boy threw his hands up, sighing, "L-Look, I don't want to know what you were d-doing with h-him or anything, but really, m-my nose is just too sensitive for my own good! I can practically smell him all over you!" He admitted, the blush on his face darkening. At Kiba's not-so-subtle hinting, the two other boys reddened as well, getting his point.

"W-We weren't do—doing a-anything!" Katana protested in a hurry, waving her arms in a frantic manner.

"I—He—I-It was a one-time thing! I m-mean, w-we hugged a-and stuff", She watched as her friends' faces grew from pink to crimson, "but t-that's all there is!" Her expression was positively mortified, her face so red and warm that she thought she'd faint anytime soon. Silence stretched on between the four, all of them looking at anything but at each other.

"Here we are!"

Kakashi's lively call rang in the tense air, earning all their attentions. Naruto was the first to react, coughing lightly while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "So…" he drawled out, his mind trying to forget about the information he learned just a moment ago, "promise act like this didn't happen and never talk about it again?" His words were in such of a haste to be heard—some even tumbling over each other— that he didn't expect anyone to understand him but apparently, Katana did.

"Sounds good to me." She agreed instantly and pinched Lee, causing him to yelp in surprise and stutter out an 'okay'. Kiba merely nodded twice, not trusting his mouth to say anything anymore.

With a chorus of sighs, they resumed walking, making their way towards the giant gates of Konoha.

* * *

"—that's why, I'm the only one who can do this. I'm the only one who can fight Sasuke. So please guys, just back down and let me handle this, okay?"

The series of violent protests and enraged disapprovals Naruto's request had earned rang inside Katana's ear, giving her another impending migraine on the way. She shrunk back even further from the rest and huddled quietly in her own corner, a hand clutching her pounding temples. They had just returned to Konoha and already, they were ambushed by their comrades. _They didn't even give us a chance to take a breather or two…_Thought Katana glumly as her headache worsened, threatening to split her head open.

A loud slam made everybody jump, all of them falling into hushed silence. They turned to the girl responsible for the action, watching as her normally smiling face became livid. "You're gonna fight Sasuke alone?" Tenten shrieked in question, fuming that Naruto even dared to think about the idea itself. "Are you freaking insane? Do you think we'll just stand here and actually let you?" The bun-haired girl demanded, her large brown eyes narrowed in hurt and anger.

By her side, Neji had his back leaning against a pile of lumber, arms crossed over his chest. He looked more composed than his teammate was, but the slight downward furrow of his relaxed eyebrows made it clear that he was just as troubled. "Tenten's right, Naruto." He said tersely, looking at the blonde with doubt, "We can't afford to let you have your way on this one. This is a problem for the whole village, not a problem to us alone."

"Is this what you meant by 'explaining when we get back home'?" asked Kiba from above the other stack of wooden boards, his brisk tone indicating that he was back in his rotten state. "We were all prepared to kill Sasuke! You just had to go and be hero again, didn't you?"

"I'm not trying to hog the spotlight, Kiba." Naruto said, letting just a bit of exasperation to seep in his tone. There was only so much one person can take, after all.

"Then what are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to end this once and for all. Isn't it obvious?"

"Hah! Well, great job on trying to 'end' this! You've just let Sasuke get away again!"

"Naruto", Intervened Shikamaru before the blonde can retort back and start a physical fight, his laid-back demeanor gone, replaced by a grim expression and a disappointed frown. "You're not planning to handle this alone so you can side with Sasuke and protect him, are you?" Naruto shook his head thoroughly, sincerity radiating off him.

"No, trust me, I won't."

"If Sasuke was so weakened from his fight against Danzo", Neji piped in again, confusion clear in his voice, "then why didn't you finish him then and there, Naruto?" Instead of the jinchuuriki, Sakura answered the Hyuuga, finally unable to keep quiet and bear the sight of her teammate being interrogated by their circle of friends. "Madara was there too!" she snapped, taking an abrupt move forward and alarming Chouji beside her to take a safe step back. "You keep oversimplifying things! I was there too and I saw that it wasn't possibl—"

"He still couldn't have just slipped away!" barked Kiba in irritation, bringing down one fist to collide noisily with one of the wood planks. "You're as strong as they come, Naruto! You're already a legend for kicking the crap out of Pain! Sasuke couldn't have just—"

"You're wrong." Said Naruto, the confidence in his voice fading away. His azure orbs darted towards the ground, mouth tugging down in a pained grimace. "I couldn't have defeated him…I just knew." Hands balled into fists at his sides and he closed his eyes, releasing a sigh. Naruto raised up his head again, swiveling around to give them all a good look. "I can't let you guys face Sasuke. I'm the only one who can fight him." His tone was firm and unyielding, indicating the end of the discussion. All of Konoha 11 stared at him with bewildered gazes, their expressions holding a dozen more questions left unanswered.

"What in the world happened?" asked Neji, uncrossing his arms and straightening up. The slight pinch of his eyebrows became deeper, a worried frown now accompanying it. "You have to tell us." Naruto nodded reassuringly, smiling at them. "I will…when the time is right. Now if you excuse me", he added, turning on his heel to walk away, "I'm starving! I'll be at Ichiraku if you need anything." He strode pass them with his hands behind his head, stopping in front of Katana. "Ne, Katana-chan, wanna join me?"

The brunette in question looked up, her tired grey orbs scrutinizing his face. His inquiry was deceivingly casual and Katana would have believed him if she hadn't known better. She didn't miss the way his grin was fake and painfully forced, or the generous offer of an escape hidden in his statement. As much as she wanted to go with him, Katana knew better. They wouldn't be able to achieve anything if both of them kept dodging questions. And since he had already been bombarded with endless doubt and inquires, she could only guess that it was her turn now.

Putting on a faux smile for everyone to see, Katana shook her head slowly, meeting Naruto eye-to-eye. "I'm not hungry." She said with a shrug, her gaze then darting to a certain lavender-eyed individual. Another reason why Naruto must have asked her to join him was because he needed a friend, a comforting shoulder and a patient listener, not somebody who'd question him again for the umpteenth time that day. It was a good thing she knew someone who'll gladly listen to him like she would. "Maybe Hinata over there can join you." Katana suggested, gently smiling at the shy girl. "That okay, Hinata-chan?"

"E-Eh?" squeaked the unsuspecting Hyuuga, her face readily heating up. She turned to Naruto, her blush intensifying. "W-Well, anou…"

Blinking, Naruto turned to look at the flustered heiress, and then gave Katana a perplexed glance. Katana cocked her head to the side, motioning encouragingly. "Go on." The blonde faced her with an 'I-trust-you' look before breaking into a wide grin and jogging towards the indigo-haired girl. He promptly reached for her hand and tugged her lightly along. "Come on, Hinata-chan!" The girl staggered beside him with her beet red face, much to the amusement of everyone. They left the group, leaving silence to take over the rest again.

Pleased with her work, Katana stood up from where she sat, dusting the dirt off her shorts. She faced the group, raising an eyebrow at their expectant gazes. "What? Me too?" she asked jokingly, arms overlapping one another across her chest. Clearing his throat lightly, the Nara took a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh. "Katana, what happened?"

Realizing that they wouldn't buy her nonchalant façade for even just a second, Katana dropped her smile and the relaxed look in her eyes, her arms falling to her sides. Since truth was what they wanted from her, it was truth that she'll give them. "Akatsuki happened." She bit out, her mouth set in a thin line. "They recruited Sasuke to join their side. Specifically speaking, it was Madara who convinced him. I wasn't aware of this fact until moments ago when Naruto mentioned something about knowing the truth about Itachi."

"Itachi?" asked Neji from her left, his grayish pale orbs creasing slightly, "Isn't he Sasuke's brother?"

"Was Sasuke's brother. He's dead now." Corrected the kunoichi, glancing at him. "As I was saying, Madara spoke to Sasuke and successfully brainwashed him. I fought him back at the Kage Summit earlier this day." Looking down, Katana released a strained exhale, her voice lowering as she continued, "Sasuke—He…He was different. He's not what he used to be." Even with her eyes glued to the ground, she could almost see their grief-stricken faces, silently mourning with her. "He's killed people…And he tried to kill me and Sakura too."

A soft snort sounded from a distance and Kiba's voice cut in, "That's why we can't just let him roam around freely." He said bitterly, anger overcoming his sadness. "Killing innocent people, wrecking havoc everywhere… We can't let Naruto—"

"But I still believe in him." Katana interrupted, sharply looking up. Bloodshot grey eyes shone with newfound determination, boring a hole on Kiba's forehead. "Just like Naruto, I still think he can be brought back."

"Katana", Came TenTen's frustrated groan, the weapons mistress gently slapping a hand down the side of her face. "You have got to stop trusting him!" she said, clearly sick of the same argument. "I know he's you friend and all and that it's hard to accept the fact that he's turned against us but, please! Stop being so naïve! You said it youself: he's changed. There's nothing we can do about it now. He's nothing but a cold-hearted murderer—!"

"I'm a murderer too!"

The sudden outburst took everyone aback, halting Tenten in midsentence. The bun-haired girl stepped back, looking away guiltily. Katana glared at them, her patience wearing thin, her temper finally reaching its peak. Moisture stung her already aching eyes, making it harder for her to prevent them from falling. All the pent-up frustration and the pain that affected her both physically and emotionally threatened to let loose all at once, pressuring the girl to recover her composure immediately.

Shutting her eyes, she swallowed back the lump in her throat and said, "That's right. I've killed people too. I'm no better than Sasuke is. I'm just another monster—"

"That's different, Katana."

"No." The brunette shook her head, a few tears escaping the corner of her eyes. "It's not different. I'm the same as him. The only thing that makes us different from one another is the reason behind our actions. But that's beside my point. What I'm trying to say is, whether murderer or not…" She gazed at them from behind moist eyes, desperately trying to make them understand, "Sasuke will always be my friend. Nothing's ever going to change that." With a deep breath, she wiped away her tears, forcing her mouth to twitch in an agonizing smile.

"So…I trust Naruto. I hope you guys do, too..."

Katana turned back and stalked away, leaving them to ponder about what she said.

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Gah, I absolutely despise this chapter! . It's too long and too _dramatic_! And there's no enough Gaara in it, too! T_T

I hope my opinion doesn't apply to you guys though. XD **Enjoy and Review** Chapter 33, guys!


	34. Chapter 34 Disturbed Slumber

**Author's Note: **Forgive me, O Great Ones! I have made thee wait thirteen days for chapter 34! ...I'm hopeless, I know. -.-" Sorry guys! Had a rough week and a terrible writer's block. Isn't there an official cure for those? They're seriously lethal! I had to bang my head a couple of times against a brick wall before I got the right idea for this chapter.

Anyway, go on and read. But I must warn you...Major GaaraxKatana fluff ahead! It's so fluffy, I'm gonna die! . XD

**Enjoy and Review!**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 34: Disturbed Slumber

"…Where am I?"

Grey eyes stared at the open field, scanning everything, searching for somebody familiar. Grass bent down obediently whenever the wind passed by, her hair flying along with the direction of the cool breeze. In the center of the vast grassland stood three wooden posts, rope dangling loosely around the middle one.

"Training ground three…" Katana found herself whispering, nostalgia rushing over to her.

This was where Team 7 was first formed, where Team 7 had their first mission together. Her feet moving in its own accord, she sauntered towards the wooden posts and reached out hesitantly. Slender fingers ran down the chipped pole, tracing every dent, kunai mark and flaw it earned from the years of serving as a training device.

Her hand collided with the rough texture of the rope wrapped around it and her gaze softened involuntarily, remembering the hyperactive blonde that once got tied to it. She remembered the nonstop bickering they had, their surprising moments of teamwork and the comfort they gave each other during hard times. She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath, recalling the blonde's idiotic grin, the usual smirk plastered on the Uchiha's face and the gentle smile their pink-haired teammate always wore. They used to be a team…the best of friends…a happy family of their own…

"Katana…"

Her orbs snapped open at the familiar voice, feeling dread enter her system. What was he doing here? Suddenly, the wooden posts were gone; the open expanse, the trees and sunlight streaming through the leaves nowhere to be found. Darkness took over her line of vision, everything being covered by the murky clouds. Shadows bound her down with their death grips, claws scraping painfully against her skin.

"You are weak…so very, very weak…" It was his voice again, ringing inside her ears, taunting her…mocking her.

Anger flared inside her and she fought against her restrictions pigheadedly, straining her eyes to see through the fog. "Sasuke...you bastard." She hissed, her fists quaking from the overwhelming emotions. Rage, confusion, hurt, pain and sadness stirred restlessly inside her, shaking her to the very core. Why? Why was he here again? "Show yourself, Sasuke! Show yourself and fight me!" She screamed, her shouts bouncing off in the darkness, echoing over and over again. "You're nothing but a fraud! A liar and a murderer! A coward!"

A sharp slap to her face made her head jerk to the side roughly. A metallic taste was left in her mouth, making her retch, and she spat, coughing out the crimson liquid. She choking—no, drowning, with her own blood and yet there was nothing else she could do except to clench her teeth together. "Shut up." It hissed, seizing her neck roughly.

It hurt; everything hurt. She felt as if she was burning alive, the scorching heat of agony coursing through her veins. Every breath she took was painful; every movement she made in an attempt to get away sent agonizing jabs in her flesh, stabbing her everywhere. She could feel her heart thundering rapidly against her ribcage, threatening to burst open.

"B-Bastard…" she croaked out weakly, the strong voice she was used to hearing now raspy and strained from the hand that choked her. She could feel sharp nails puncturing her skin, drawing little beads of blood to trail down the length of her neck.

"Pathetic, that's what you are, Katana…" He sneered coldly, the grip on her throat tightening further. '

Katana's mouth fell open in a choked gasp and she thrashed about, fighting the invisible bonds that restrained her. "You can't stop me…You are powerless to stop me...You couldn't even prevent me from killing Naruto and Sakura…You couldn't stop me from killing Kakashi." Katana struggled desperately, feeling fear consume her slowly, torturously until she was trapped inside this hellish nightmare forever. _He's lying, he's lying_, she told herself, but it did little to ease the pain she felt inside.

"S-Sa-Sasuke…"

He was killing her, in the very same way he probably killed the rest of their old team; she could feel it and she knew that it wasn't long now before death would swallow her completely and devour her alive…into nothingness. With a last attempt to breath, she drew a small gasp and spat again, hopefully aiming for his hidden face.

"R-rot in…h-hell…"

Air left her as soon as his hand fisted around her neck, crushing her throat mercilessly. Red burst before her eyes and the last thing she saw was his face, his glinting onyx orbs, his blood-smeared lips curled upwards in the usual smug smirk…"So long, Katana."

"SASUKE!"

* * *

The brunette shot up in bed, sheets tangled on her limbs, sweat covering her ghostly pale face like a second layer. Bloodshot grey eyes were wide with fear and anxiety, her frame racked by unconscious shudders. Immediately, warm hands were on her arms, rubbing and stroking her skin gently, unlike the way the claws grazed her. "It's okay, it's okay…" The voice whispering in her ear was different too; deep, smooth and laced with worry, not hissing with iciness.

Her stature collided softly against a larger, warmer body, which she could only associate with Kakashi's. With an exhausted sigh, she slumped down on him, her shoulder sagging in relief. The jounin's arms went around her body, providing her warmth and comfort. She took a shaky breath and swallowed back the heavy lump in her throat, shuddering when she remembered the hand around it. "S-Sasuke, he…" she trailed off, unable to bring herself to continue the thought.

"Shh, it's alright. Sasuke's not going to hurt you."

"Sasuke killed me, Tou-san." She bit out harshly, a wave of nausea hitting her. She jerked inside his hold and Kakashi squeezed gently, calming her agitated nerves. "He killed me. Just like he killed Naruto and Sakura…h-he killed you too." She shook against him, her breath catching. Her eyes shut close and she sighed, thumping her head lightly against his chest. She could feel moisture seeping through her lashes, tears of frustration running down her face before she could stop them. "And I couldn't even do anything…"

"It was a dream, Katana. What could you have done?" Said Kakashi, brushing the wetness away from her face with his gloved hand. "It's just a dream. Sasuke didn't kill you…or anyone for that matter. We're all fine. Naruto's alive, Sakura's alive…I'm alive too." He said, running his hand up and down the length of her back.

A few quiet minutes passed by them, allowing Katana to calm herself from the earlier visions. Looking around, she found herself inside boring cream-colored walls and sitting on a bed that smelled way too clean to be considered natural. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, her eyebrows following the downward movement and drawing together as well.

As if sensing her discomfort and unspoken question, Kakashi loosened his hug, resting his chin on top of her head. "I found you out cold inside the apartment." He began, his fingers reaching up to comb through her hair. "You were sweating and very pale and burning with fever. Your chakra was so faint, I almost didn't sense it." His voice cracked slightly, an indicator of just how really worried he had been. "I brought you to the hospital as fast as I could. You were unconscious for the past three days."

"Sorry, Tou-san…" Apologized Katana hoarsely as she brought her hands up to hold onto his vest-clad back, burrowing her face in his shoulder. Now that he said it, she could vaguely recall going home to take a shower and then being attacked by a sudden coughing fit and a pang of dizziness when she left the bathroom, fainting just as she reached their living room. "You really have to learn to stop collapsing out of nowhere, Kat-chan." Kakashi half-heartedly joked, hoping it would ease the tension of the girl he was embracing.

Katana drew back and sent him a mild glare, dark circles underneath her eyes clashing with her sickly pale complexion, making her look ghoulish. "Let's see you sprint across the Land of Iron again without wearing anything warmer than a sweater." She deadpanned, crossing her arms in a challenging manner. "I bet you'd faint too, after that." With soft chuckle, the silver-haired man threw his hands up in mock surrender, ruffling his already messy locks and splaying them over his forehead. He shifted in his place just a bit so that he sat on the edge of her bed. "You okay now?"

"I'm still a little shaken", she admitted feebly, her hand rubbing one arm up and down to warm herself, "but I'll be fine." The jounin nodded in understanding, relief washing over him when he heard her famous line. Standing up, he walked over to the door and said with a sigh, "I'll go get Tsunade-sama to check on you."

Eyes widening in disbelief, Katana repeated hastily, "Tsunade-sama…She's awake?" The silver-haired man turned the knob, his hand pulling the door open. He turned to face her again, this time smiling faintly. "Yes. She woke up three days ago, right after I brought you here. She'd just arrived from the meeting in Kumo, I think." Pausing, Kakashi added softly, "Your friends were worried too, you know. Especially Sakura and that girl, Tenten. She made sure to visit you every day."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Katana frowned in bewilderment, not quite understanding why the bun-haired girl would be so concerned. "Can you call them in, Tou-san? I want to talk to them." Nodding subtly, he offered a comforting wink that she was familiar with and went out the door, closing it behind his back. Not even minutes after Kakashi left the room, the door came bursting wide open again, several people entering. Startled, Katana jumped in her place slightly, eyebrows shooting up in surprise at her newly arrived company.

A blur tackled her down on the bed, arms and hands wrapping around her body tightly. She winced, feeling her sore muscles protest at the harsh treatment. "Katanaahh~!" wailed Tenten in her ear, the bun-haired girl unusually clingy and emotional. The girl sobbed against her shoulder, her voice muffled by the fabric of Katana's shirt. "I—I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…", the kunoichi apologized between hiccups, her tears wetting the brunette's clothes, "I was just—just carried away. I don't know what took over me. I—I'm so sorry."

Hastily patting the girl's back consolingly, Katana turned to the others in question, her expression thoroughly perplexed. All gazed at her with the same shame written on their faces, some looking away in embarrassment.

"Ne…Katana-chan", coughed Kiba awkwardly from the side, his eyes fixed on her bed instead of her face, "About those things we said…we didn't mean to—" A sharp nudge from Sakura cut off the boy halfway in his statement and he scowled indignantly, his face flushing red, "I-I mean, _I _didn't mean to say t-those things to you…I've let my temper get the best of me again. I'm sorry, Katana-chan."

"It was unfair of us to question the actions you made, especially when we didn't personally witness the whole thing. You were only trying to help solve the problem after all." Said Neji next, his monotone voice mellow and sorry for once.

Beside the Hyuuga, Shikamaru sighed, muttering something incoherently under his breath. With a painful elbow jab from Ino, he straightened up and looked at Katana with a small remorseful grimace. "I'm sorry too. We should have trusted you and Naruto." He said, then glared at Katana worriedly, "The thing is, you troublesome woman", he began, crossing his arms over his chest, "don't do that again, will you? You frightened the hell out of all of us when we found out that you were unconscious here in the hospital. We thought you'd never—"

"Hey." Interrupted Katana gently, making the everyone look up at her. Grey eyes were soft and understanding as they glanced at the group, a small frown forming in her face. "Is that what this is about? You guys thought I was upset over that?"

At this, all of them lowered their gazes simultaneously, guilt evident on their expressions. She snorted ruefully, slowly shaking her head. "Well, as much as I appreciate your concerns, I'm not upset and there's nothing to be sorry about, Tenten. It's okay." She reassured them, rubbing the back of the girl who still latched on to her. "Let's all just forget about that and get ready for war. The right time will come along eventually; we'll make our decision then."

Tenten pulled back from the hug—her brown eyes puffy and red—and sniffed. "B-But…it was our fault you fainted after all—" she trailed off, looking down. "It's not." The brunette cut off, smiling lightly despite the exhaustion present in her features. "And I'm really glad you guys are here. It makes the stay in the hospital less horrifying." Katana quipped, earning a small laugh from Tenten and snickers from the rest. Everyone was aware of how much the girl hated going to the hospital, much less staying there for days. Grinning weakly, the weapons mistress sat up and wiped her tears using the back of her hand. "Thanks, Katana."

Before the latter can reply, the door of the room swung open with a loud bang, making everybody turn their attention to it. "What the hell are you all doing in here?" Tsunade exploded incredulously from the doorway together with Kakashi by her side, her arms locked across her enormous chest. Her eyebrows knitted deeply, golden orbs blazing with annoyance and red lips turned down in a disapproving grimace. "This is a hospital, for goodness sakes, not a party! Out now, all of you, out! You're keeping Katana from her rest!" she demanded, hands doing rapid shooing motions. With crestfallen groans, Katana watched with amusement as her friends kicked themselves out of the door and into the hallways once more.

"Sakura, you stay here." Said Tsunade before her apprentice could do so much as take her exit and with a hopeful smile, Sakura closed the open door, nodding obediently. "Katana." The Hokage greeted casually, her fingers immediately holding on to the girl's wrist and checking her pulse. Sakura took the other arm, placing her fingers the same way Tsunade did.

Seeing Tsunade working on her, very much conscious just as Kakashi had said, Katana felt a giant surge of almost-hysterical relief crash into her. She inhaled sharply, an awed smile breaking across her face when she saw the master medic's young face again, smooth and firm, free of any wrinkles or blemishes. Her locks were restrained by the usual twin pigtails, shiny golden in color without any shade of gray mixing with them. "Tsunade-sama…" she drawled out breathlessly, unable to keep her smile from getting wider. "You're okay."

Although Katana had said it as a statement, it held so much shock and disbelief that one would hear from a question that Tsunade decided to answer her. "Yes, yes." Replied the Sannin, her gaze breaking from Katana's wounds temporarily to glance up at her face. "You, however, need rest. Your body rebelliously shut down from over fatigue." She said sternly, placing her hand on top of Katana's bandaged arm.

The bright glow of chakra sparked from her palms and instantly, the dull ache of her injuries faded away. While Sakura busied herself with doing the same thing with her other arm, Katana curiously ripped off the bandages wrapped around her right arm with the help of her mouth, her eyes widening when smooth, scar-free skin stared back at her.

"What—"

"I already healed the cut on your stomach when you were still sleeping. That one is a little unfortunate. It was an ugly wound, so even when I tried adding extra chakra, all that did was to make the scar fade a bit." Tsunade stated, looking at her. "You're welcome, by the way."

"T-Thank you…" stuttered out Katana, blinking dazedly at her arm. "And the scar won't bother me. I've had worse anyway." She told the older woman, her eyes shifting towards the blonde. She bit back a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "Um, Tsunade-sama?" Though not facing her, Tsunade raised an inquiring eyebrow to show that she was listening. "Just how…how many days am I required to stay here exactly?" Katana asked, half-dreading the answer she'll get.

Grinning at the aghast tone of her patient, Tsunade let the chakra die away from her hands and turned to glance at Sakura. Her young assistant stifled a laugh and looked up at her expectantly before turning her attention back down on Katana's arm.

"Just one more day." The Hokage said with an amused smile, her white teeth showing. "Take a whole day of rest—and by rest, I mean no training, no sneaking out and absolutely no strenuous activities—and after that, you're good to go."

The Sannin gave off a good-natured snort at Katana's awfully relieved sigh, knowing all too well just how much the girl loathed being cooped up, which wasn't very different from Kakashi's attitude towards rest as well. She always swore that the two were the worst workaholics she'd ever known.

"Katana", Said Sakura from her left as she finished, earning the attention of the brunette, "is something bothering you?" Hearing the question, Katana's expression turned blank and unusually composed, the same way it did whenever she tries to mask her thoughts. Cocking a raised eyebrow at the pink-haired girl, Katana asked, "Why would something be bothering me, Sakura?"

Shrugging, the medic placed her hands on her lap, her fingers fumbling with the fabric of her skirt. "It was just a hunch actually…You seemed distracted, so I figured something must be upsetting you in some way." Jade green eyes flickered at her face, searching for an explanation. "Katana?" Though she lying had never appealed to her, Katana plastered an easy smile and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong, Sakura. Trust me." She knew she couldn't tell the girl about her nightmare, no matter how much Sakura pried. She was just too fragile, too innocent for her own good. With war breaking out on them, surely telling Sakura this would send her toppling over to the edge.

Three knocks on the door cut short their conversation and Tsunade turned to it, one eyebrow rising in question. "Come in." She said, wondering inwardly who it was. The doorknob twisted slowly and opened, a tuft of red hair peeking inside tentatively. A knowing smirk appeared on Tsunade's face, realizing that he'd finally arrived. "Ah, there you are!"

From behind the other side of the door, the young Kazekage slid inside the room, his aquamarine orbs giving the three other people a quick glance before focusing on the girl in the middle.

"Hello, Katana."

Grey eyes widening, the brunette felt air rush out of her lung and she blinked rapidly as if trying to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. He was here. He was actually here. Crimson locks, dark-ringed, sea foam eyes, red vest, gourd and all. "G-Gaara…" she breathed out, inwardly hoping that she didn't sound as if she took a blow in the gut. Shock was still scribbled all over her expression and she brushed away the strands of hair that tumbled down her face, allowing her to have a better view of him. "W-What are you doing here?"

"He came with us back here when I told him of your condition." Answered Tsunade before the redhead can, her smirk widening when he threw her a warning look. "The brat couldn't even focus properly during the meeting; he was too busy worrying about you." At the sight of Gaara glaring menacingly at her, Tsunade laughed in hilarity. "Calm down, Kazekage." She said easily, standing up and pulling Kakashi with her. "I was just messing with you, punk." She said, giving him a casual pat in the shoulder. "Take care of Katana for me. Come on, Hatake. Let's give the love birds some time alone."

Reddening at Tsunade's label for them, Katana watched as they by-passed Gaara, Kakashi and Sakura shooting her a teasing masked grin and a wink before closing the door shut. Gaze darting from the closed door to the still-standing boy, Katana mustered up a smile and gestured to the chair on her bedside. "Hey. You planning on standing there all day?" The redhead blinked twice at her, shaking his head once as if to lose a daze. "No." He answered, making Katana's grin spread even more. "Come on, then." She encouraged, jerking her head to the direction of the chair. Wordlessly, Gaara strode towards it, sitting himself down.

Aquamarine eyes scanned her up and down, fixing themselves at her face. "How are you feeling?" He asked, his hand reaching out to cover hers. Eyes softening at the familiar action, Katana turned her palm facing up, entwining their fingers together. "I'm fine. Just tired, that's all." She said reassuringly, pleased when his anxiety visibly decreased. "Tsunade-sama said I'll be released from the hospital tomorrow." Gaara let out an inaudible sigh, the corners of his mouth tugging up in a gentle beam. "That's good then."

"Yeah." Said Katana, nodding in agreement. A thought crossed her mind and her eyebrows furrowed slightly, grey eyes turning to him. "By the way, you didn't get to answer my question…why are you here?" Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow at her unrelenting inquiry, his smile turning into a faint smirk of amusement. "So you don't believe the Hokage's earlier explanation about how I went here because of you?" He asked her back, silently chuckling at the way she blushed madly.

Throwing the boy a dirty glare, Katana forced back the heat that managed to creep up her face. "W-Well, I—It's not exactly that I don't believe her…It just that I know you better than to think you'd leave your village for a personal reason. You can be incredibly selfless after all."

Shrugging off the last remark, Gaara nodded once. "I came here to make further preparations for war. There's going to be a meeting held here in Konoha in two days. Since Suna is the village closest to Konoha, it's not surprising that my group arrived here first. We're expecting the Tsuchikage to arrive this afternoon." He explained nonchalantly, never taking his gaze off her.

"But…", he trailed off, his voice faltering with a sudden awkwardness. He looked down and for once, the redhead seemed embarrassingly clueless, as if all the words left him at the moment. Much to Katana's surprise and delight, there was a faint shade of pink dusting the stoic Kazekage's cheeks.

"But what?" asked the girl curiously, expectantly looking at him. She fought out the mocking grin that threatened to take over her face, trying to at least make it easier for him to speak. "Gaara?" He glanced up at her, the blush on his face darkening. His mouth parted but what he said didn't reach her ears at all; it was like trying to comprehend silent gibberish. Sighing, Katana scooted the edge of the bed, leaning closer over to him. In reflex, Gaara quickly withdrew, retreating until his back hit the chair. "Care to repeat that, Gaara?"

"I said…" began the redhead once more, this time with a clearer voice, "that Tsunade's statement wasn't all wrong." Not quite understanding the point he was trying to make, Katana settled back down on her pillows, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes, and so…?"

"The—" His voice dropped down to a meek whisper again, causing Katana to roll her eyes in frustration. "The part where I was too distracted to pay attention to the meeting…that was true." When Katana's annoyed expression melted into one of surprise, Gaara averted his gaze back on the bed sheets again. Unconsciously, he fidgeted, the hand that was holding hers turning clammy.

"I found myself thinking about…how you were at that time and with Tsunade informing me that you were staying in the hospital—well, it didn't help. To get my attention, Tsuchikage had to actually throw a ball of crumpled paper at my head. Twice."

The sound of quiet snickers cut him off and he glared at the brunette, his eyes narrowing in embarrassment. Although not oblivious of the glower sent in her way, Katana couldn't bring herself to stop laughing. "T-Twice, eh?" she managed to say between snorts, grinning when the redhead's face became a violent shade of red, rivaling his hair.

"My god, Gaara, I didn't know you were so lovesick. Did you really—"

"Shut up."

"—miss me that much? Come here then! Let Katana-chan give you a big hug!"

She said mockingly, pushing the covers off her body and swinging her feet to the floor. She stood up and Gaara did the same, his body tense. "Do not." He warned her, alarm bells ringing inside his head. The grin on her face only extended frighteningly and the Kazekage swallowed hard, his eyes searching for a quick escape route. Without a warning, she advanced with her arms outstretched, clasping together behind his neck before he could even try to dodge.

"K-Katana, don't…! We'll—" His statement was never given the chance to be finished because the minute she wrapped her arms around him, her weak knees buckled with his struggling and with their combined weights, both fell down on the bed.

Thanking the reflex speed he had built over the years, Gaara used his hands to brace his fall, catching himself just in time before his body crushed Katana's smaller frame. "Are you insane?" he hissed out in incredulity, the red tint in his face still present. His initial reaction was quickly wiped out, however, when Katana burst into laughter. Not one of those forced or tense chuckles she gave off when she was in pain or hurting inside, but real, genuine laughter. With her hands still gripping the back of his neck, her grey eyes shining with mirth and her head thrown back as laughter racked her form, Gaara found himself unable to look away from her face, too mesmerized by her eased expression.

"Sorry." He faintly heard her say when her laughter died down, a smile breaking across her face. "I didn't mean to go that far. I—" Before he could realize what he was doing, Gaara leaned down, cutting her off midway with a gentle press of his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in shock for a second before her eyelids lowered halfway, Katana responding into the kiss eagerly as she felt her heart hammering frantically inside her chest.

He broke away after what seemed like eternity for them, when the need for air became too annoying to ignore. Both took breathless gasps, from the kiss or the lack of oxygen, they didn't know. Mouth spreading out in an uncharacteristically wide smile, Gaara rested his forehead against hers, feeling warmth flare up inside his chest when she smiled back.

"I love you."

Invisible eyebrows shooting up in surprise, he stared into her grey orbs for a whole minute, searching for any signs of mockery or deceit. He found none of those, seeing only sincerity and endless trust in her eyes. Mentally berating himself for even thinking that she'd lie to him, he closed his dark-ringed orbs and sighed, his warm fingers gently caressing her face. "I love you too…" He whispered, his velvety voice sending chills down her spine. With her heart thumping erratically, she tugged him closer, burying her face in the crook of his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in his addictive scent of cinnamon and sand. Funny, she didn't think sand had a distinct smell.

Holding him like this made her forget all her worries; made her fears and nightmares fade away. As said nightmares were mentioned, the girl's contented smile fell apart, her eyes lowering slightly. Nightmares weren't foreign to any shinobi. In fact, they were acquaintances, nightly visitors that bother a shinobi's already brief slumber. They were a part of life, an obstacle every shinobi must go through. _But do they have to be so damn realistic…?_ Katana asked mentally, tightening her hold on Gaara absentmindedly. She had always been weak against the ruthless visions, secretly dreading the possibility of never waking up once she closed her eyes.

"Katana…"

"Hm?" Replied the girl distractedly, her mind occupied by something else. Gaara pulled away then, much to her displeasure, and helped her sit up as well. His eyes fixed themselves on her, studying her face. "What's wrong?" He asked all of a sudden, taking her aback; it never ceased to surprise her how he can read her like an open book while even she had a hard time understanding herself. Trying to look confused, she furrowed her eyebrows at him and asked, "What do you mean?" He gave her a blank stare, his aquamarine orbs meeting hers head-on. "I think you know."

"I—" Katana halted and looked away, her eyes narrowing and body tensing up. Sea foam eyes softened their gaze at her and with a sigh, Gaara tentatively reached out for her hand. He clasped it with his larger one, thumb stroking the back of her hand soothingly. "Tell me." Shaking her head sharply, Katana forced out a tight smile. "It's nothing, really—"

"Tell me…Please."

She doubtingly glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, her mouth set in a thin line. Aquamarine eyes were pleading, shining with determination. Sighing, the girl shifted her gaze down on the floor, reigning control on her voice. "Do you remember what you said… that day when we met up with Naruto in the Land of Iron?" She asked him, staring blankly at the white tiles of the room. "About how Sasuke has stopped looking for us? That he seeks darkness willingly…"

"Yes…" Gaara answered cautiously, uncertain of the point the kunoichi was trying to make. Imaginary eyebrows furrowed deeply in worry and he frowned, scrutinizing the girl's empty expression. "A little while after you guys left us…we confronted Sasuke. He tried to kill Sakura." Whispered Katana as she leaned her body to the side, her head softly colliding with his shoulder. In pure instinct, Gaara shifted and wrapped his arm around her frame, hand brushing away the locks that fell on her forehead.

"He and Naruto fought and was interrupted by Madara dropping by. Before Sasuke went away, Naruto said—", Katana hesitated, her body stiffening and mouth falling down in a grimace, "He said that it was his duty to bring back Sasuke, that no one except him can fight Sasuke…"

She looked up at the redhead, her eyebrows knitting in obvious worry and pain. "But what if he's wrong, Gaara? What if Naruto couldn't defeat Sasuke?" Her eyes lowered back on the floor and she glowered at it, her hands fisting the material of her hospital gown. "What if the time comes that they fight…and Sasuke kills him?" The last part came out as a hiss and grey eyes narrowed, remembering her dream, remembering what Sasuke had said about killing the rest of Team 7. Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white from the pressure she was applying to it.

"You sound angry now…" muttered Gaara from beside her, trying to switch topics quickly to prevent the kunoichi from seething any further. "But whenever your other friends say something against the Uchiha, you're quick to defend him." He turned to look at her, wishing his tone didn't sound as jealous as he thought it was. Focusing his attention on her, he noticed that her rage had died down, a melancholic frown left on her face.

Silence dawned onto them for a moment, neither of them having thought of anything to say. Finally, Katana's mouth parted and out came a silent sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. "…He's still a friend. Nothing can change the fact that we're all still secretly hoping he'll change his mind and come back home to us." She answered dejectedly, letting out a tired sigh once more.

At her statement, Gaara responded with a wordless nod, understanding what she meant. "Then just trust Naruto. He'll be alright." He pulled her closer, burying his face on her mop of brown hair. "…Your reason doesn't make me like the Uchiha any better though." He murmured against her locks quietly and Katana smirked lightly, hearing the underlying protectiveness and jealousy hidden in his monotone voice.

"How come?" She asked him innocently, suppressing her smile as she turned to face him. Gaara gave a nonchalant shrug but the look on his eyes betrayed his unperturbed façade. "He almost killed you back at the Kage meeting. Are you saying I should trust him even after that?"

"No."

"Plus…" The Kazekage added, this time in a lower, more grudging tone, "…you keep talking about him in the same way Naruto does." The brunette gave a laugh, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're jealous, Gaara." The redhead clamped his mouth shut at the accusation, causing Katana's grin to broaden. "Well, are you?" She asked him again and received a small cough as a reply, Gaara mumbling something about 'annihilating the Uchiha' under his breath.

With a smile, Katana patted his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry; you're the only one I'm interested in." She said with a small hum then shot him a narrow-eyed stare. "The feeling's mutual right…?" She asked him in mock doubt and nudged him gently, fighting back a teasing grin.

Snorting, Gaara glanced at her, his stare unwavering. "Of course."

"Really? Even with lots of other women out there who are more beautiful than I am?"

"…Well, if you put it that way—"

She elbowed him then and scowled playfully, scooting out of his reach when he made a grab for her. "Go away." She told him when he chuckled, jerking away from his embrace. Finally, Gaara locked his arms around her, preventing her from escaping him. "I was joking." He said, smirking at the sight of her glaring and pouting childishly. Katana turned away from him, scoffing. "Jerk. Since when did you joke?" She asked him, glowering from the corner of her eyes.

His smirk molded into an amused smile and he rested his chin on top of her head, trapping her inside his hug. "Since I heard how beautiful your laugh was…" Although he couldn't see her face, he knew her well enough to know that she was blushing hotly again.

Silence stretched on between the couple, with Katana desperately trying to calm her racing heart and Gaara content with nuzzling her hair. "You're being so quiet, Katana…" whispered Gaara in a low voice, sending goose bumps down the kunoichi's arm. "Why's that?" Katana swallowed hard, forcing the nervous lump in her throat down. She glared at the harmless floor tiles, cursing both the butterflies in her stomach and herself for blushing like a school girl. Taking a deep breath, she fought the heat radiating off her face and opened her mouth, fully intending to retort.

"Oi, Gaara!"

The silver knob turned swiftly and before the movement can register into the teens' minds, the door swung open revealing a fuming Temari and a bored-looking Kankuro. Both expressions were quickly wiped away, however, when they caught sight of Katana and Gaara locked in a hug, their eyes then turning wide with undeniable shock.

"K-Katana…" stuttered out the older blonde, her dark green eyes large as she looked back and forth between the two. Behind her, Kankuro got over his shock quicker than the rest of them and promptly snickered. "Well, well. What do have here?" he remarked with an impish grin, crossing his arms over his chest. Turning as red as a tomato, Katana instinctively shoved away the redhead off her back, scrambling to get on her feet. Hurriedly, she stood a safe distance away from the bed, flushing in embarrassment while the young Kazekage was still sprawled on it dazedly.

The puppeteer on the doorway guffawed, clutching his aching sides as Gaara shot him a deadly glare before proceeding to stand up with whatever dignity he had left. Smoothing out his clothes and ruffling his crimson locks, he mustered up a calm demeanor before turning to his siblings. "Temari." He called out, earning the attention of the awed kunoichi. "Was there something you needed from me?" With a few blinks, the blonde cleared her throat and put up a serious expression, "The Tsuchikage's arrived, Gaara. Tsunade-sama's already at the front gate. You better go and welcome him as well." Nodding curtly, Gaara muttered an 'Of course' and started to walk out the door but stopped, turning back to face Katana hesitantly.

Still blushing faintly, Katana quirked her lips up in an awkward smile. "Go. I'll be fine."

The redhead stared at her with a mild frown, glancing back momentarily at his siblings. He sighed inaudibly, defeat clear in his expression. Gaara strode forward, stopping in front of her. "I'll be back." He promised, trying to make it up to her. Katana nodded, beaming at him reassuringly. "I know. I'll just…rest while you're gone. Don't worry."

"Alright…"

Katana stared at Gaara's retreating back, biting her lip slightly. "Gaara." She said hastily, rushing to catch his sleeve. She yanked him to a stop and whirled him around, meeting his perplexed orbs once he was facing her.

"Katana. What—"

She cut off his question with a kiss, sealing her lips with his. Aquamarine eyes widened in surprise, Gaara's pale face rapidly heating up. The brunette smirked deviously against his mouth, pulling back from the kiss to bask in her victory. Even with her gaze fixed on his ridiculously red face, she knew Temari and Kankuro were gawking at them, stunned.

Gaara paid no attention to the two intruders on the open door, still blinking at the girl in a confused manner. Katana grinned even wider, her teeth showing in her smile. "Oi. You're gonna be late, Kazekage-sama." She mocked, jerking him round and pushing him to the doorway.

"Temari, Kankuro", she regarded the two older shinobi with a bright smile, thrusting Gaara towards them. "Take care of him for me, will you? He's still kinda dizzy. Make sure he's not gonna collide head-on with a post." She said, much to the amusement of the duo. With a mock salute from Kankuro and a foxy grin from Temari, the Sand siblings waved their goodbye, making their way through the hallways of the hospital.

Beaming lopsidedly, Katana gently closed the door, making her way back towards her bed. She slid under the bed sheets, pulling the covers all the way up to her face. Inhaling deeply, she sighed, the scent of the hospital filling her senses. One of her eyebrows shot up when they caught something different; a faint scent of cinnamon and sand lingering in the bedspread, making her smile under the covers. _It still…smells like him…._Lips curled up in a beam, she closed her eyes and let sleep take over her without hesitation, knowing that this time…nightmares wouldn't bother her for a change.

**End Chapter**

* * *

Review, review, REVIEW! Come on, guys. You know you wanna~ :DD

P.S. Um, I'd like to thank "Clazinha" for pointing out my mistake. Yeah, the meeting part kinda got messed up. Hehe, sorry! Thank you, Clazinha! XD


	35. Chapter 35 New Comrades

**Author's Note: **Guuuyyysss. T^T Our internet connection's broken! Pray for it please! I don't want to waste 30 bucks in the internet cafe every time I update!

Drama aside, how'd you like the new chapter? XD Please **Enjoy and Review!**

_P.S. __Thanks to all those who keep reading my fanfic! When I checked the story stats, I was surprised to see 93 reviews in it already! You guys are awesome!_

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 35: New comrades

The sounds of rhythmic tapping and silent scraping of paper against paper echoed inside the sleeping girl's ears, shaking her awake little by little._ Mm…where am I?_ It took a few minutes before her situation registered inside her mind, the kunoichi remembering that she was in the hospital. Stirring slightly on the bed, Katana shifted to the direction of the noise, her eyelids lifting up languidly. Grey eyes flickered over to the relaxed form, watching in amusement as the silver-haired man remained oblivious to her, his masked face buried in his Icha Icha Paradise.

"Morning." Katana greeted weakly, smiling when the startled jounin threw his leg off the other and left his infamous orange book on the bench to approach her. "Yo. How's my favorite girl?" inquired Kakashi teasingly, affectionately brushing off the hair that was splayed over her forehead. Wrinkling her face in mock annoyance, Katana swatted the gloved hand away. "I'm your only girl, Tou-san." She protested, pushing her hair back herself.

"Possessive much, Kat-chan?"

"Yes. Got a problem with that?"

Chuckling at their banter, the jounin took the chair at the side of the bed, his lone eye never leaving her face. "I brought your clothes by the way. You can change when you're ready to go. And your sword's over there."

"Thanks." Katana rasped out, her voice still hoarse from sleep. She coughed lightly and swallowed, trying to relieve her parched throat. Sitting up on the bed, the brunette reached out for the glass of water on her bedside table, taking in several mouthfuls. When finally satisfied with the moisture that was brought back inside her mouth, she placed the empty glass back down, raising an eyebrow at the bouquet of flowers that lay beside it. "Uh…what's that?" She asked the jounin, staring pointedly at the beautiful arrangement of roses wrapped in pink paper.

Kakashi turned his head in question, following the girl's line of sight and reacting significantly. "Oh, you meant those. Gaara-kun dropped by yesterday. You were asleep, so he left it here for you to see when you wake up." He explained, taking the bouquet and handing it to the brunette. With a blush staining her cheeks, Katana took the flowers, a coy smile forming in her face. "He didn't have to…" she whispered unconsciously, beaming down appreciatively at the bouquet otherwise. Grinning behind his dark mask, Kakashi watched as his normally tomboyish daughter eyed the flowers with child-like fascination.

"How did you do it?" He asked all of a sudden, startling the girl and making her snap to attention. Her eyebrows furrowing, Katana looked at him confusedly. "Do what, Tou-san?" His single orb creased slyly and Katana could almost imagine his crooked smile underneath his mask. "I mean, how did you manage to have him wrapped around your finger?" At this, Katana blushed furiously, looking at him with a scowl of denial on her face. "I'm not—He's not…wrapped around my finger." She said defensively, her tough demeanor rising back to the surface again. Sighing wearily, Kakashi raised both of his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. Let me rephrase the question then: How did you manage to tame him? There. Better?"

Glancing down in a minute of contemplation, Katana's frown faded away and what was left was a rueful smile in her expression. "I guess…it's because I understood the pain he was going through before. I knew what it was to feel like you don't belong anywhere…and that no one wants you…" She looked up at Kakashi, beaming knowingly at him. "If it weren't for you, Tou-san…I would've probably ended up in the same way, bearing hatred and pain for the rest of my life and killing people senselessly. Although…" She snorted, shaking her head then. "I'm not the one who changed him. It was Naruto."

"Don't say that." Interjected Kakashi coolly, his arms overlapping one another across his sweater-clad chest. "I saw how the boy acted when he was around you, even before Naruto fought him. Remember that time when the two of you had your first dat—"

"I was touring him around, Tou-san!" protested Katana in both irritation and embarrassment, glaring at the older man. Kakashi put his hands up in front of him apologetically, his onyx orb twinkling with obvious glee. "Alright, alright. When the two of you were back from your 'tour', I saw the way his eyes changed. The bloodlust in his gaze lessened visibly and he looked more at ease around you than he was with his own team before." Kakashi said as a matter-of-factly, offering the girl a genuine masked smile. "He changed you too, you know…In a lot more ways than you'd imagine."

Blinking slowly at the jounin, Katana gave him a sheepish look. "…Is that a bad thing?" she asked him softly, feigning dismay in the answer she would get. With a laugh, Kakashi shook his head a 'no', his eyes creased in entertainment. "No, no. Of course not. I'm actually looking forward to go and thank him for patching you up." Shooting him an annoyed glare, Katana pouted, her eyebrows furrowing. "You make it sound like I was that hopeless." She muttered under her breath grudgingly, averting her gaze from the man.

Kakashi laughed good-naturedly before glancing up at the wall clock, sweat dropping comically once he saw what time it was. "Oh boy." He sighed, standing up from his seat and rubbing the back of his head in a guilty manner. "Ne, Katana-chan…" he began, chuckling nervously, "you may want to change right now." Raising an inquiring eyebrow, Katana stared at him in bewilderment. "Why?" She asked cautiously, the gears in her head turning. Kakashi looked away shamefaced, scratching his ear awkwardly. "Well, you see…I may have forgotten to—"

"You forgot…what?" Grey orbs narrowed in accusation, clearly not amused. Kakashi laughed nervously, backing a safe distance away from the girl. "Tou-san", she grounded out slowly in annoyance, eyes fixed on him with a glare. "you didn't forget to tell me that I was called by Tsunade-sama now, did you…?" After a minute or two of staring at each other, Kakashi grinned embarrassedly beneath his mask. "Actually, yes. She called for you two hours ag—"

"Damn it, Tou-san!" The girl growled in frustration, jumping off the mattress and grabbing the fresh clothes that rested on the bench as she headed for the small comfort room. In a speed she didn't know she possessed, Katana changed out of the white hospital gown and into her sleeveless shirt and navy pants, flinging the door open and meeting Kakashi with another deadly glower. "I am so calling you out on Tsunade-sama for this." She bit out as she snatched up her weapon and Kakashi could only apologize weakly as she rushed out of the room and sprinted towards the Hokage Office.

* * *

Running through the halls of the temporarily built Hokage Office, Katana bit her lip nervously, mentally praying that the short-tempered blonde she acknowledged as Hokage wouldn't hurl her all the way to Iwa for being two hours late. Her dread only increased when she halted in front of a wooden sliding door, a sign above it saying 'Hokage's Quarters'.

Taking in a deep breath, she raised a hesitant fist and let it collide against the door three consecutive times before speaking up, "This is Katana. You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" A disgruntled sigh followed by some muttering answered her, Tsunade's voice ringing from the other side of the door. "Hatake Katana, you brat! Get your tardy ass inside here before I rip you a new one!" Cringing at the threat, the brunette pushed the door open smoothly, meeting the Hokage's impatient glare.

Swallowing nervously, she mustered up the courage to bow before her, her eyes fixed on the floor as she said, "I apologize for being late, Tsunade-sama. I haven't been informed of this meeting earlier." The annoyed Sannin released a low grumble, her hand waving dismissively. "I told Kakashi the meeting was at 8. I've already pushed it to 9'o clock, hoping that you'd arrive early for once. Seems like the bastard still managed to get you here an hour later." Sighing, Tsunade beckoned for her to come nearer and she complied obediently, closing the gap between the two of them with quick strides and stopping in front of the desk.

"Now that you're here, I'll explain the details of your mission", Tsunade said, her propped up hands on the desk entwining with each other. "Since Naruto's away with Yamato and Gai, and Sakura's busy with a separate mission, you'll be working with temporary teams or going on solo missions starting today. Is that clear?" Katana nodded curtly, her face an expression of blank indifference as she tried to shrug off the painful squeeze in her heart. Now was not the time to get all sentimental, especially since war was upon them, fast approaching. "You'll be helping Matsuri's team inventory the weapons in our storehouse. I want that list here on my desk by seven. I repeat, 7'o clock, Katana."

"Matsuri?" asked Katana, ignoring the subtle hinting at the last part and cocking one eyebrow in question. "Isn't she Gaara's—?"

"Student, yes." Tsunade responded, taking hold of a document that lay beside her and began skimming through it. "They're a three-man cell, two genins and one chuunin. You're the team captain, by the way. I'll leave it to you to take care of them. You may go."

"Hai." The girl readily turned her back on the woman and rushed to get out, only to be stopped by the sound of a throat clearing. She halted, her hand already sliding the door open by an inch. "Tsunade-sama?" Came the confused inquiry, though the kunoichi didn't bother facing the master medic anymore.

A soft sigh answered her and she heard the silent shuffling of papers before the woman's voice reached her ears, "The idiot's fine, just so you know. I sent him off to an island where your father's men will protect him during the war. Your uncle's with him as well." Tsunade paused and when she spoke up again, Katana could almost hear the uncaring smirk in her tone. "No one was supposed to know about this…but I guess my tongue just slipped. Oops."

Lips curling up in a grateful smile, Katana pushed the mahogany door open, mumbling quietly before she went out. "Don't worry; I didn't hear anything, Tsunade-sama." Without wasting any time, she went out, dragging the door close as she made her way outside. As soon as she stepped out of the small building, the loud bustling of both shinobi and civilians welcomed her, almost all people carrying wooden crates and boxes in their arms. She dodged the crowd of people with perfected ease, briskly walking towards the gray tent with the sign 'Weapons Storage' dangling at the doorway.

Pushing aside one of the heavy flaps of the tent, she peeked in tentatively, her eyes meeting endless mountains of wooden boxes. She entered the room with extra caution, careful not to knock over one of the tall piles. The sound of girlish giggling and hushed whispers erupted from somewhere in the midst of the stacks and Katana followed it silently, making her way through the maze of boxes. Three girls appeared in her line of vision, all of them sitting cross-legged on the ground, the weapons and opened crates all around them.

"I saw him in a diner earlier this morning." Said a bole-haired girl whom she could only recall as Matsuri, and muffled a laugh behind her gloved hand. "Kazekage-sama was so awkward at eating, it was cute!" She and another brunette with longer-hair burst into laughter, smiles wide and gazes dreamy.

_Seems like those two are more interested in Gaara than in helping out…_Katana thought with a faint frown, her eyes darting to the other girl. The third member of their group remained quiet by the corner, sorting the weapons without a word._ …Well, at least one of them is actually getting some work done. _Raising an amused eyebrow at the bizarre trio, Katana leaned against a stack of boxes, smirking faintly when she noticed that no one had discovered her presence yet.

"Ohayo." She greeted all of a sudden, startling the three girls and making them jump in surprise. Much to her disappointment, none of them had enough sense to pick up a kunai, just in case she was someone else. The two females that had been busy gossiping earlier flushed bright red, perhaps embarrassed at getting caught in the act of skipping work. They all scrambled to their feet and fell in one line, bowing to Katana in sync. "Ohayo, Taichou." The team replied and straightened up, the long-haired kunoichi throwing her a dirty look despite the blush in her cheeks. "Ne, if you don't mind me asking, Taichou…" she trailed off, scrutinizing Katana closely, "why are you late?"

Inwardly cringing and cursing Kakashi, Katana maintained a composed exterior, merely feigning surprise at the question. "Ah, that. I just got discharged from the hospital today. Chakra exhaustion and minor cuts. No worries." The girl who asked her winced visibly and shrunk back behind Matsuri, looking down in humiliation. Her friend shot her a disapproving glare and faced Katana with a sheepish smile. "Don't mind her, Taichou. T-This is just how she is."

Shaking her head, the sword mistress quickly dismissed the latter's concern, smiling lopsidedly at them to ease their nervous tension. "It's alright, Matsuri. Your friend's question was valid anyway. I apologize for my tardiness." She said, trying to sound as gentle as possible. "Now, could the three of you introduce yourselves to me? I'm Yotsuki Katana, your temporary captain for today's mission." Gesturing to the bold girl on the left, she crossed her arms, waiting for her to speak up.

"M-My name's Sari. I'm of genin level from Sunagakure." The girl huffed, looking away in embarrassment. The kunoichi next to her chuckled, scratching the back of her head. "I'm Matsuri, a chuunin of Suna and Gaara-sama's former student. I believe we've met before, Taichou." Taking note of how her smile was once again forced at the mention of the Kazekage's name, Katana let her gaze linger on the dark-haired girl for a minute before nodding in agreement. "Hai. We have." She said, watching the girl closely with hidden confusion. Deciding to shrug off the unfriendly action, she turned to the last one, smiling gently when she saw the girl's shy demeanor.

She was pale, with freckles distributed unevenly over her face and her braided hair fiery auburn in color. Square glasses were perched lowly on the bridge of her nose and she pushed it back up in front of her jade green eyes, her alabaster skin staining pink as she stuttered out, "I-I'm Ruri. Y-Yamamoto Ruri, A g-genin of S-Sunagakure." Scanning her team again, Katana dropped her arms to the side and sighed inaudibly, looking at the wooden crates. "How many have you finished so far, Matsuri?"

"Um, about five—?" Came the uncertain answer, Matsuri glancing at Ruri to make sure. The timid girl nodded eagerly in agreement, reassuring the other. "Five boxes, Taichou." Said Matsuri, wringing her hands behind her back. "Alright…" drawled out Katana and frowned, another question left in mind. "…and just how many are still left for us to count?" At this, the three girls sweated and averted their gazes away from Katana. The kunoichi blanched and narrowed her eyes at them, crossing her arms over her chest sternly. "Well? How many?" Swallowing tightly, Sari muttered under her breath, "Ninety…ninety five more boxes…."

Eyebrows shooting up in incredulity and jaw slacking, grey eyes blinked twice and darted towards the heaps of crates. "N-ninety five?" She repeated again, groaning dejectedly as she slapped an open palm on her forehead. With her hand slipping down from her face, Katana sighed wearily, dread scribbled all over her expression. "Well, this is certainly gonna be a long day." She gave them a tired smile, shaking her head slowly. "Let's get started."

* * *

"Matsuri."

Loud clanking noises and the shrill squeak of metal echoed inside the tent, the girls busy sorting out the weapons in their own categories. The chestnut-haired girl turned to Sari, one dainty eyebrow rising in question. The younger one sent her a look with the combination of irritation and confusion, thrusting the object she was holding towards Matsuri. "Just what the hell is this supposed to be?" Sari asked, her eyebrows furrowing deeper by the second. The harmless weapon in her hands looked like two, one-foot long metal rods, connected to each other by a short chain on top.

Matsuri pursed her lips, glaring at the object in concentration. "It looks familiar…" she murmured, taking the sticks from Sari's hold. She examined it up and down, running her fingers on the cool shiny metal. "I forgot the name though." Grabbing the ends of the rods, the brunette gave it an experimental tug, causing the chain in the middle to emit a harsh screech of protest. Both girls winced at the noise, Sari glowering at Matsuri and snatching it back angrily. "Baka!"

"Hey! You're the one who doesn't know what it is!" Retorted Matsuri, scowling at the insult the other named her. From beside Katana, Ruri raised her head, nervousness radiating off her. "Anou…M-Matsuri-chan, Sari-chan…" She tried to intervene, but the girls ignored her soft voice and continued throwing each other dirty looks. Sari stuck her tongue out childishly before huffing and turning away. "It's not like you know it either!" Glaring at the girl's back, Matsuri crossed her arms defiantly, her lips puckered up in a frown. "I know what it is! I just forgot the nam—!"

"It's a nunchaku."

The bickering females turned to the source of the voice, both finding themselves staring dumbstruck at their captain. Glancing up at them quickly, Katana flashed them a patient beam, trying to ease the anger brewing between the teammates. "Put it over there." She told them, jerking her thumb to the box on a far corner. Blinking rapidly and blushing, Matsuri looked down and seized the weapon from Sari, striding to where the crate was. "S-Sorry, Taichou."

"Y-Yeah, sorry." Apologized Sari from where she stood, kneeling on the ground and resuming her earlier work. Lips curled up in a smile and an easy chuckle forced its way out of Katana's throat. The three Suna kunoichi turned, looking at her through bewildered gazes. Their captain shook her head fondly, eyes absentmindedly scanning the various weapons around her while her hands picked them up. "I remember my old team with you guys…"

"Y-Your old team, Taichou?" Asked the auburn-haired girl, her attention shifting from the shurikens to Katana. Grinning at the girl, Katana's eyes softened, her hands relaxing by her sides. "Please, call me Katana. Anyway, you know Naruto, right Matsuri?" The brunette nodded eagerly, sitting down beside Sari. The trio's eyes were all fixed on the girl, their ears expectant and enthusiastic to listen to the story.

"Him and our former teammate…Sasuke; they always fought. They fought during missions, annoyed each other to no end and bickered over the smallest matters." Katana chuckled, reminiscing the entertaining times of her past. "And then Sakura would join their argument…she'd get annoyed with Naruto and threaten to beat him up. Our team leader always had migraines when he was with us."

"Ne, what about you, Tai—Katana-sempai?" Asked Sari from across her, her hazel orbs filled with curiosity. "What were you doing while they were fighting?" Katana shrugged nonchalantly, a faint smirk crossing her features. "I'd let them fight. I don't really care." Answered Katana, her smile widening. The grin looked almost sinister and all three girls swallowed nervously, eyeing their captain with a mixture of unease and excitement. "…After all, the sooner they kill each other, the sooner I'd have my peace of mind."

"Uwah!" Chorused the trio in shock, backing away safely and earning a teasing laugh from Katana. The sword wielder clutched her sides, her grin wide as she watched the girls scamper farther and farther away from where she was in fear. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" She reassured them with a chuckle, motioning for them to come back. Her anxiety fading, Matsuri pouted at Katana. "I didn't know you had a sadistic side, Katana-sempai."

"M-Me neither. T-That was scary." Squeaked Ruri as she brushed away the hair strands that fell on her face when they scurried off. With another short laugh escaping her, Katana waved for them again, relieved when they took their seats around her again. "Sorry." She said, her tone not even a bit apologetic. "I just had to do that. You guys were way too uptight around me." Puffing her cheeks out, Sari crossed her arms. "If you wanted us to relax around you, you should've just said so, Sempai!" She protested in mock anger, though the corners of her mouth threatened to twitch up in a smile.

Lopsidedly grinning, Katana looked back down on the sharp weapons and returned to sorting them. "But if I had just said it, there's no assurance that you guys would really relax. Besides, my way was much more amusing to see, ne?" Remarked Katana, her smile broadening when they all chuckled lightly.

A few quiet moments passed by the team, the wooden boxes gradually decreasing in number as they neared the completion of the assignment. Unlike before, the silence that surrounded them was now comfortable, the sound of metal clashing against metal blending in with Ruri's soft humming and Sari's occasional questions. Finally, the last crate rolled around and was sealed, grey eyes skimming the paper with the written inventory. With a satisfied smile, Katana glanced at each one, nodding in thanks. "Mission finished. Good job, everyone."

"Yatta!" exclaimed Sari with an overly-relieved grin, pumping a fist up in the air energetically. Stretching her arms out and yawning, Matsuri smiled dazedly as she rubbed away the sleepiness from her eyes. Looking at them with concealed mirth, Katana gestured to the doorway and said, "You girls are free to go. I'll take care of a few things in here." Cheering excitedly, the pair jumped up to their feet, sprinting towards the opening of the tent. Before completely disappearing out of sight, they shared a look and glanced back at Katana with wide beams. "Taichou!" Sari called out, earning a glance from Katana.

"Hai?"

"You're cool." The younger girl quipped with a devious smirk, her eyes glinting mischievously. "For the Kazekage's girlfriend…I like you." Beside her, Matsuri chortled lightly, winking. "Hai! I approve as well. Gaara-sama's better off with you than with another witch. Bye, Taichou!" With impish grins, they rushed out, leaving Katana wide-eyed and pale, choking back a shocked gasp.

"H-How the hell did they—"

"T-They have their w-ways."

The brunette turned to the quiet girl, blinking at her twice. "R-Ruri-chan…" Katana breathed out, just then noticing that the redhead still hadn't left her. "Why are you still here?" The green-eyed kunoichi offered a shy smile before looking down, hands gathering the deformed and dented kunai they left out and throwing it into an opened box. "I-I'll help you c-clean up, K-Katana-sempai." She said helpfully, pushing back the spectacles that once again fell down to the bridge of her nose.

"You don't have to." Blurted out Katana in reassurance, not wanting the girl to think she was required to do so. Ruri shook her head softly, stray strands of silky ginger hair falling on her forehead. "I-I want to." She answered, carrying the trash box and setting it down on a corner. Frowning slightly, Katana followed the girl with her eyes, gaze troubled. "Ruri-chan." She called out and the genin turned, green orbs blinking innocently. "H-Hai?"

"Do you…" Katana trailed off, taking a deep breath and looking away. "D-Do you like Gaara as well?" The redhead stopped short in her place and blushed a violent red, her glasses falling down again. "E-Eh?" she asked in surprise, pink staining her cheeks. She dropped her eyes on the ground and fidgeted with her fingers, small hands shaking slightly. "W-Well…" she began and bit her lower lip, swallowing guiltily, "G-Gaara-sama is n-nice…b-but…—" Head snapping up in surprise, Katana glanced at the younger girl with raised eyebrows. She waited for the kunoichi to continue, straining her ears to catch the girl's almost inaudible voice. "—but it's K-Kankuro-sama w-who I really l-like."

"Kankuro?" she asked, clearly surprised of the girl's answer. The girl nodded quietly and blushed even harder if possible, her face looking as if it was splashed with glowing neon red paint. "I…I k-know it's weird…P-People tell me t-that all the time a-and—"

"I think it's great." Katana interrupted and the girl looked up at her in surprise, a smile readily forming on her face. Beaming back soothingly, Katana crossed her arms and leaned back against a pile of crates. "Kankuro's a great guy. A caring friend, a protective brother and a—"

"—s-supportive sensei…" Whispered Ruri distractedly and blushed once more when she realized what she said. Katana grinned and raised one amused eyebrow. "Oh? He was your instructor?"

"H-Hai." Replied Ruri red-facedly, looking ready to pass out any minute. She smiled then, as if remembering something nice. "M-My nii-san and h-him are friends. When Nii-san b-became an invalid from an a-accident during a mission, K-Kankuro-sama promised t-to take c-care of me until I c-can take care of b-both of myself a-and Nii-san. S-So when Suna was short of academy t-teachers, K-Kankuro-sama and his siblings volunteered…and I became h-his student."

Smiling gently at the girl, Katana stared at her through half-lidded eyes, wistful thoughts running inside her head. "…Does he know, Ruri-chan?" She asked, startling the auburn-haired girl from her daydreaming. Blinking in confusion, Ruri can only gaze dumbly at her. "K-Know what, Sempai?"

"That you like him."

"U-Um…W-Well, I—I don't…know. I-I don't think so." Said Ruri sadly, tugging timidly at a lock of hair that framed the side of her pink face. "…I don't have the guts to tell him, Sempai." Green eyes flickered up, a surge of emotion flashing into them for a quick second. "T-That's why I'm envious of you, Taichou…" Ruri admitted softly, fingers twisting and overlapping each other nervously in front of her. "I…I wish I also had the courage to go up to him, like what you did w-with Gaara-sama, a-and tell him how I feel."

Flushing in embarrassment, Katana gave off a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of her head. "I—uh…I d-didn't go up to him, Ruri-chan." She denied, waving her hands in front of her in a universal 'no' signal. "W-Who told you that?" With a coy smile, Ruri chuckled, muffling it with her hand. "K-Kankuro-sama did." She said, looking thoroughly amused. The side of Katana's mouth twitched in annoyance as she forced to maintain her readily-crumbling smile, mentally promising to make Kankuro suffer her wrath as soon as possible.

"I…I really didn't go up and confess to him, Ruri." Katana drawled out slowly, carefully choosing her next words. The kunoichi tilted her head to the side in silent inquiry before she voiced out her question, "T-Then how did you tell him, Katana-sempai?"

"Well", Katana began, hesitating for a moment and bracing herself for the latter's reaction. "For a lack of better term, I…I beat him up." Even when she expected it, Katana winced visibly when color drained away from the girl's face, a look of mortification taking over. She took a deep breath and stared at the girl, waiting…waiting…

"K-Katana-sempai!" Ah, there it was.

"H-How—How did you manage to…t-to beat him up? G-Gaara-sama has the strongest defense—"

"We fought using taijutsu."

"T-Taijutsu—O-Oh…"'

"I-It's not like I'm the one who initiated the fight. He started it." Katana said defensively, crossing her arms over her chest. "He challenged me in a taijutsu match, so who am I to hold back? Gaara deserved it at that time anyway."

"…N-Ne, Taichou. Y-You really are a sadist."

Sighing, Katana turned and glanced nonchalantly in between the small gap of the tent flaps. "It's getting late, Ruri." She said concernedly, straightening up. "You better go and rest." Nodding, Ruri pushed herself from the box she was using as support and walked towards the opening, glancing back to give Katana one last shy smile. "I-It's good to meet you, Taichou. I hope we can have m-more missions together." The timid girl waved goodbye and strode out, leaving Katana all alone inside the tent.

Letting out a puff of breath, Katana rubbed her face, attempting to brush away the weariness she was feeling. Picking up the list, she scanned it again and double-checked the tall stacks of wooden crates before going out the tent herself. The flash of red, orange and yellow rays caused her to squint, the sun already halfway in disappearing down the Hokage Mountain. With a small smile stuck on her face, she made her way towards the Office in relaxed strides.

* * *

"Come in."

At the granted permission, the brunette pushed the sliding door in a fluid movement, bowing respectfully before the woman by instinct. "Hokage-sama, mission complete—" She halted in midsentence, just then taking notice of another presence. She bowed again, lips quirked up in a familiar smile as she greeted the latter, "Kazekage-sama…I didn't notice you there." Gaara's tired eyes lowered further and he beamed faintly, nodding at her in acknowledgement.

Katana closed the door behind her, stepping up in front of the desk. "Here's the inventory of the weapons, Tsunade-sama." She said, handing out the crumple-free sheet of paper. The blonde woman jerked her head down once in thanks before throwing both teens teasing glances that they didn't miss. "Well…seeing as you've already finished the mission I gave you, you're free to go! Are you busy?"

Fighting off a blush, Katana shut her mouth in a thin line and shook her head slowly before answering. "No, Tsunade-sama. I'm not." The Hokage's grin grew larger and the blonde turned to face the redhead sitting beside her this time, smirking at him. "And how 'bout you, Kazekage-sama? Any dinner plans for tonight?" She asked in a sing-song voice, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Gaara's expression remained blank and unfazed, but Katana—knowing the redhead better than most—could see the faint hint of mischief dancing across his cool aquamarine orbs. He blinked slowly and raised an invisible eyebrow before inquiring in a bored tone, "Hokage-sama…are you asking me out?" The playful leer in Tsunade's face faded away and Katana bit back a snicker when the older woman scowled in irritation at Gaara. "Brat." Tsunade deadpanned, narrowing her golden-rimmed orbs at the composed individual. "You always wreck my fun."

The master medic turned away with an indignant huff and a childish pout, crossing her arms over her chest. A barely-there smirk made its way to Gaara's face and he stood from his seat, looking down at the scowling blonde with amusement. "On the contrary", he said in a monotone, facing Katana, "I believe I need to borrow Katana for a while, Hokage-sama. I owe her a dinner date." He drawled out, his gaze softening at her.

Rolling her eyes, Katana tugged on his sleeve, pulling him with her as they walked over the door. Tsunade's uncharacteristically girlish squeal was the last thing they heard before the door was once again shut, the two making their exit and walking side by side. Pursing her lips together, Katana glanced up at the boy beside her before turning back to the road ahead, a question in her mind begging to be asked out loud.

"What is it?" Gaara asked, his deep voice startling her out of her thoughts. He looked down at her from the corner of his eyes, studying her expression closely. "There's something bothering you." He said as a matter-of-factly, his hand reaching out and covering hers. Katana raised an eyebrow at him, smiling slightly. _Since when was I this easy to read…?_ She asked herself mentally, shaking her head.

"I was just wondering…", she began, turning her hand over and entwining their fingers, "Do the people of Suna know about—about us?" She asked hesitantly, looking up at him. Shrugging lightly, Gaara kept on walking, his eyes browsing through the various diners and restaurants lined up by the sidewalk.

"Kankuro and Temari know." He answered nonchalantly and earned an annoyed jab from Katana, who crossed her arms and scoffed 'thanks a lot, Captain Obvious' under her breath. Smiling in amusement, he rubbed the offended part on his ribs soothingly and turned to look at her. "Some of my subordinates have probably discovered it for themselves, since they see me writing to you all the time when they get summoned to my office. The elders have no clue though. I prefer not to tell them. As for the villagers in Suna…I have no desire to know what kind of gossip they start and spread about me." He tilted his head to the side, eyeing Katana with a sudden worry. "Would you rather that we keep it in secret?" He asked, his non-existent eyebrows furrowing deeply.

Hearing his concern, Katana shook her head hastily, squeezing his hand. "No! No, of course not." She reassured him and faced forward again, inching closer to him. "It's not that I don't want anyone to know about it…" she told him, absentmindedly looking through the colorful banners of different buildings. "I just don't want what happened between me and…Kazumi to happen again. You're busy enough as it is, with war engaged against us. I don't want to cause you anymore trouble."

"You won't." Gaara said smoothly, giving her a comforting look. "Besides…the minute Kazumi was caught red-handed, the villagers wanted you back. They wanted to apologize for their behavior towards you then." A pensive sigh escaped Katana and she shook her head, a melancholic smile plastered in her face. "It's not their fault. I couldn't blame them for reacting like that, especially since I _did_ wreck havoc in Suna."

Gaara let out a short chuckle at her flippant tone and earned a disbelieving beam from Katana. Gazing at him with awe, she narrowed her eyes in obvious triumph. "You laughed." She pointed out, her grin turning smug. "I made you laugh. I can't believe this." Raising an eyebrow at her delight, Gaara shook his head slowly. "Yes. As a matter of fact, you have to stop doing it."

"Why?"

"Making me feel all these emotions…making me blush, smile…laugh…You're ruining my reputation of being the poker-faced king."

The sound of amazed laughter echoed inside his ears and made his heart beat erratically, Gaara faintly smiling down at the guffawing kunoichi. 'This…', he thought inwardly, his eyes still fixed on the breathtaking girl beside him, 'I can get used to anytime'.

**End Chapter**


	36. Chapter36 Problems that stand between us

**Author's Note:** Here's the next chapter, guys! :D We have our internet back, thanks to all of you who prayed for it! By the way, our classes will be resuming on June 4, which is 6 days from now...so I won't be able to update again more often.

**Anyway, Enjoy the new chapter and Don't forget to Review~! :DD**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 36: Problems that stand between us

"Oi, Akatsuchi! Pass me those last crates over there, will you?"

Scuffling footsteps and heaving groans were heard inside the sauna-like warehouse as four people moved about, loading their arms with hefty wooden boxes and passing it up to one another. At the entrance of the building, the Iwa kunoichi stood leaning against the doorway, frowning and tapping her foot repeatedly on the ground with impatience. "Hurry up, Akatsuchi!" Kurotsuchi barked out again, her mouth fixed on a tired scowl. "I wanna get this over with as soon as possible." She brushed her dark bangs away from her forehead, grimacing at the way the sweat-soaked hair strands clung to her skin.

"Hai, hai! I'm coming, Kurotsuchi!" Answered her burly teammate hastily as he jogged for the short-tempered woman, all the while balancing the five boxes on his arms as he ran. Stopping in front of the girl, Akatsuchi set the boxes down and released a weary sigh, beads of sweat traveling down his red face. "Whew. These things sure are heavy." He commented, wiping moisture away from his eyebrows. The girl clicked her tongue against her teeth and shook her head disapprovingly at him. "Stop complaining like a baby, Akatsuchi. Our teammates over there are working up to their last bit of energy. It's not fair for us to take a break while they're having such a hard time."

With a grunt of effort, the dark-haired female hauled one of the crates up in her hands, hugging it securely with her arms. "Agh. K-Katana-chan! Chojuro-kun! The last batch of boxes is here!" She called out, receiving the attention of the two others that were up above. A clump of blue hair poked out of the midst of boxes and the Kiri-nin smiled bashfully, a faint blush tainting his cheeks. "Ah, h-hai! I'll be right there, Kurotsuchi-san!" Beside him, their brunette teammate stood up wobbly, her face dripping with sweat. Noticing the latter's pallor, worry flashed through Chojuro's expression, his soft side quickly taking effect. "K-Katana-san, are you alright?"

The brunette in question blinked away her daze, staring at him unfocusedly. Lips spreading out in a tired smile, she shook her head slowly. "This is nothing, Chojuro-kun. I think the heat's just getting to me." She said, running a hand to comb through her hair. She beamed reassuringly again, erasing the boy's doubts.

"Alright then, Katana-san." Chojuro said with a slight nod before he made his way towards the staircase, taking two steps at a time. Katana took a deep breath, wincing at the way to stifling heat made her brain pound violently inside her skull.

Sighing jadedly, she hopped up on the metal railing and jumped down, landing in front of Chojuro and startling the poor boy. Chuckling apologetically, Katana ran to get one of the boxes from Akatsuchi, the big guy nodding thanks to her. Climbing yet another lap of the staircase, the group met upstairs, with Chojuro the last one to put his crate on top of the umpteenth stack. Akatsuchi's victorious cry erupted suddenly, taking all of them aback.

"We're finally done!" The large shinobi cheered, clapping his hands together and smiling broadly. A fist collided on his arm as Kurotsuchi playfully punched him, wearing a smirk of her own. "Hai. We finally get to rest." She added in agreement, looking ecstatic at the mention of a well-earned break. She took a deep breath, planting her hands on her hips.

"Yosh!" The short-haired girl cheered, swinging her arms around the necks of Akatsuchi and Chojuro and pulling them in. "Why don't we go to Barbe-Q today, ne? Just a little after the mission get-together. It's my treat!" She grinned widely, flashing her teeth at both of them. Her partner nodded eagerly and smiled back while Chojuro flushed brilliantly, cracking an awkward beam at the excited girl.

Laughing merrily, Kurotsuchi whirled back to face Katana, dragging both boys along with her movement. "What about you Katana-chan? Do you wanna join us?" Katana glanced at the trio, pursing her lips together guiltily. She smiled in apology, shaking her head as a 'no'. "Sorry, Kurotsuchi-chan." She said, wiping her face free of beads of sweat and pulling out a scroll into view. "I've still got some errands to do for Tsunade-sama." The girl's face fell at her answer and the Rock-nin pouted, clasping her hands together in front of her in a pleading manner. "Please, Katana-chan? Pretty pleaaase?" Kurotsuchi begged, her eyes widening in an attempt to pull off a puppy face.

Katana chuckled at the latter's antics and shook her head again, smiling. "I can't. I'm sorry. Maybe some other time?" Kurotsuchi pouted again in mock sadness, pretending to sniffle as she towed the two boys with her. "Alright, alright. I give up." She said and freed Chojuro temporarily, lifting her arm to wave goodbye to Katana. Halting midway, she whipped her head back again, speaking half-seriously, "It's been a month already, Katana-chan. You've been running back, forth and around the village non-stop, doing errands and whatnot. I think it's time you took a break, ne?"

Beaming with guilt, Katana rubbed the back of her neck. "I know. But we've only got another two—"

"—weeks left until the war, yes, I know." The girl continued for her with an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. "And by then, it's going to be even busier for us. Just—just don't kill yourself, alright?" Kurotsuchi reminded, her confident smirk returning into place once she finished talking. "Come on, guys! It's Barbe-Q time!" She squealed, pulling the boys behind her as she rushed out of warehouse.

Katana watched as the three went out of her view and sighed wearily, pushing back the locks that fell on her face. The setting sun was readily disappearing down the mountain, the sky already a shade of darkening orange and pink. Taking a deep breath, she climbed up the rail again and leapt down, not bothering to use the stairs.

With the scroll at hand, she walked out of the warehouse, pushing the giant wooden door shut as she sauntered away.

* * *

Three knocks collided repeatedly against the wooden sliding door of the Hokage Office, Katana waiting outside as patiently as possible. Much to her surprise, instead of the usual 'Come in' permission that was given to them, the door slid open by itself, Shizune facing her with a worn-out smile. "Hello, Katana-chan." Greeted the older woman softly, her energetic voice down to a mellow tone. "I'm sorry, but Tsunade-sama's asleep at the moment. Do you have anything to say to her? If you'd like, I could take the message—"

"That's okay." Katana answered quickly before the assistant can say anything further. "I'm just here to deliver this." The girl handed over the red scroll to the dark-haired woman and inhaled sharply, fighting back the yawn that threatened to let loose from her mouth. "Does Tsunade-sama have other missions scheduled for me to do today?" She asked Shizune and received a subtle shake of head, the older kunoichi smiling at her soothingly. "It's late, Katana-chan. You can do those tomorrow. For now, take the night off and rest. You've been working harder than ever lately." Beaming comfortingly at the girl, Shizune closed the door gently, leaving Katana all alone in the empty hallway.

The brunette bit back a sigh, her shoulders slumping dejectedly. She stared blankly at the wooden door for a few seconds before she turned on her heel, slowly making her way towards the exit. The sound of quiet footsteps that weren't hers registered in her ears and she stopped, her lips quirking up when she felt the familiar chakra signature. The newcomer approached her with slow, deliberate steps, taking his time in reaching her rather than rushing.

"Kazekage-sama." Katana greeted coolly, smirking when she heard his disapproving grunt.

"You don't have to call me that." Gaara said, stopping beside her and giving her a momentary glance before resuming his pace again. "Come on. I'll walk you home." Her smile widening, Katana caught up with him easily, clasping his hand with hers as they strode side by side. She could feel his earlier tension leave him, his stiff back relaxing visibly at her touch. Silence stretched on between them as they left the building, the soft glow of the moon and the streetlights illuminating their dark surroundings.

"You look tired." Remarked Katana out of the blue, effectively breaking the silence. Beside her, Gaara let out a monotone 'hn', his gaze focused on the path ahead of them. "If you don't mind me asking, what was your meeting with the Suna counselors all about? Whatever it was, you seem to be really bothered by it." The hand that she held slackened suddenly, slipping out of her grasp. Confused, she glanced up temporarily and had just enough time to catch the mild frustration and annoyance that flashed through his half-lidded aquamarine eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked out loud reflexively, concern taking over her features. When he didn't answer immediately, she gave him a pointed look, indicating that she wouldn't accept one of his silent responses this time. The redhead ignored her gaze and kept walking, his face turning tight once more. Without a warning, he quickened his pace, startling Katana and making her jog up to match his steps. "Oi!" Katana protested as he kept up his half-walk half-run speed, narrowing her eyes in annoyance when he ignored her call again.

Giving up on trying on catching up with him, Katana stopped in the middle of the street and took a deep breath, trying to calm her irritated mood. The sight of him walking away carelessly and leaving her behind made her anger flare up even more, the weariness that piled up during the whole day of endless work finally getting on her nerves. She fought to contain a frustrated yell and glowered at his back, balling her fists by her sides.

"Gaara." She bit out sharply and the redhead halted in his tracks, his back abnormally straight and rigid. "Look, I don't know what your problem is since you won't tell me, but would you mind slowing down a little? Do you really want to walk me home? I understand if you don't, I can go home by myself just fine. You didn't have to offer if you didn't really want to do it!" She exploded heatedly and saw him wince, his head lowering slightly.

The girl released a groan and she combed her hair back, breathing in deeply once more. She looked over to where he stood and sighed in defeat, tentatively closing the gap between them. "Are you still mad about me calling you 'Kazekage-sama' earlier? Or was it the part where I asked about the meeting that got you mad?" She asked, not surprised at all when he didn't give a reply. "If either of those is the problem, then I'm sorry, alright?" Katana said, stopping two steps away from the frozen boy. "I didn't mean to anger you like that. I was just trying to lighten you up."

After a few tense minutes, a sigh escaped Gaara and his head lowered even further. "…I'm sorry. This—this isn't your fault." He released an exhale again, whirling around to face Katana with an apologetic gaze and a troubled frown on his expression. He directed his eyes to the ground, aggravation glinting into them again, "It's just—those old bastards, they won't—" He stopped his sentence midway, his eyes shutting close and his jaw clenching tightly. "Damn it..." He hissed as fury radiated off him, his breathing shallow with exasperation.

Hearing him utter profanities—and knowing that he refrained from using them—Katana swallowed tightly, worry scribbled all over her face as she watched his strained form shake slightly, as if the slightest movement that he'll detect would send him into a frenzied state for good.

She closed the remaining distance between them and took his face in her hands, her thumb stroking his tight expression gently. "Hey." She said softly, slightly shaking him to get his attention. "Gaara, look at me." At her calm command, dark-ringed orbs opened languidly, aquamarine eyes bloodshot and thoroughly exhausted.

Katana offered him a small beam, brushing off his crimson bangs. "You don't have to say anything you don't want to. I won't force you to talk, but I'm ready to listen anytime you need me." She murmured soothingly, lightly bumping her forehead with his. "I'm here, okay? Remember that. You don't have to shoulder all your problems alone."

Gaara swallowed and sighed heavily, his sea foam orbs meeting her grey ones in a grateful glance. "Katana…" he whispered hoarsely, closing his eyes softly as his arms went around her frame, tugging her flush against him. He rested his head down on her shoulder and took a deep breath, her scent and warmth calming his agitated nerves. "Thank you." He said and felt her arms go around his neck, her hands burying through his thick, red locks. "Anytime." He heard her say in return, her voice low from exhaustion.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." He murmured against her ear weakly, his arms tightening protectively around her waist. "I didn't mean to…" Chuckling, Katana combed through his wild hair, the mild pressure that she applied to his scalp soothing his pounding head greatly. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize." Reluctantly, he loosened his hold on her and pulled back, reaching out for her hand instead, sighing inaudibly. "Let's get you home." Katana smiled at him, nodding once in agreement. The two resumed walking again, comfortable silence engulfing the rest of their stroll.

As soon as the small red gate came into view, Katana felt her heart drop in disappointment; the thought of Gaara's hand leaving hers was dismaying. Seeing that the outcome was inevitable and that there was no logical excuse she could come up with at the moment, the brunette sighed at the sound of her companion's throat clearing and smiled up at him. Gaara himself looked crestfallen as well and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he searched for words to say, "…I guess this is goodnight." He remarked dejectedly, glancing at her face.

"Yeah." Chuckling at the way his stoic face became downcast, Katana beamed consolingly, giving his hand a warm squeeze before letting go. "Goodnight." She said, backing up a few steps nearer to the gate of their apartment. Gaara jerked his head once and said goodnight quietly before turning his back on her and starting to walk away. He stopped right then and hesitated, inclining his head back to face Katana once more. Surprised, the girl raised one inquiring eyebrow at him. "Gaara? Is something wrong?"

He trudged towards her and stopped when they were only a step apart, leaning down. "I forgot something." He murmured in her ear, his low tone sending goose bumps down the length of her arms. Before she could even ask what it was, soft lips brushed faintly against her forehead and pressed themselves against her skin and once more, Gaara whispered, "Sweet dreams, Katana." The redhead vanished in a swirl of sand, leaving Katana to stare at the open space, dumbstruck and confused. When the gesture finally sunk into her brain, the kunoichi blushed violently and turned to look at both sides of the street before taking out her key, secretly feeling giddy inside.

* * *

Tiny rays of the gentle morning sun streamed through think mahogany curtains, teasingly flashing light on closed eyelids. The person on the bed turned her back against her window with a disgruntled groan, curling into a ball under her covers and burrowing her face deeper into her pillow. Her hands groping around her bed blindly, Katana grabbed the first thing she came in contact with and yanked it towards her, suffocating in inside her bone-crushing hug. The thing she embraced was indeed very warm and furry, lulling her back to sleep with its soft texture. However, hasty yaps of protests wrecked both the tranquil silence and her peaceful slumber, the brunette jolting awake at the alarming noise.

Her white bedspread went flying and Katana threw her hand off the yelping object in shock, her sleepy eyes blinking away their blurriness and focusing on the noisy brown thing. Squinting and frowning in confusion, the girl blinked again once more disbelievingly. "Pakkun? What are you doing in my bed?" She asked the rattled-looking pug, clueless on how the dog got there in the first place.

The small hound grimaced at her accusingly when he straightened out the wrinkles in his navy shirt before grumbling incoherently and sighing. "I teased Kakashi 'bout his old man hair turning white already an' got him upset. Threw me out of his room and banned me from usin' the couch, the grumpy, merciless owner he is. So I went to your room instead, but I didn't expect to be all squished an' stuff."

Despite still feeling dizziness and not at all happy at being woken up, Katana couldn't help but snicker at Pakkun's explanation. "You deserve to be thrown out from the room and be squished by me, Pakkun. You know how Tou-san hates being called an old man, even though he doesn't look like one at all." She scolded mockingly, grinning regardless of her stern tone. "He hates bald jokes even more, especially since that incident with Konohamaru pulling out a frightening handful of his hair when he was a baby." She chuckled again when the ninken pouted grudgingly at being reminded, extending her arm out and scooping him up easily.

"Sorry, sorry!" She said with a smile, lightly scratching the back of his ear in consolation to the pug. "Let's go and apologize to him, ne?" Beaming with mirth, Katana slid her legs off the bed and stood, distractedly rubbing the dog's ear as she walked towards the door and went out of her room. The smell of frying bacon and freshly brewed coffee wafted under her nose, her empty stomach gurgling in response. "Morning, Tou-san." Greeted Katana as she rounded a corner and barged inside the kitchen, staring at the back of the silver-haired man.

"Yo, Kat-chan." Kakashi replied smoothly and turned to face her with a mask-less smile, his Sharingan closed and the sides of his perfectly normal-looking lips twitched up. Ignoring the uttered nickname she was usually infuriated with, Katana grinned up at him, raising Pakkun up in her hands for him to notice. Instantly, his smile faded away and the jounin glared at his summon, crossing his arms over his pink apron-clad chest and looking downright ridiculous. "You." He stated dryly and Pakkun whimpered, squirming uncomfortably inside Katana's grip.

"Come on, Tou-san." The younger one said, amused at the sight of her father and his dog glaring at each other. "Forgive him already. He looks sorry enough to me." She saw Pakkun glance up doubtfully and she returned his look with an encouraging wink, nodding to him.

With a sigh, the brown dog turned to Kakashi and mustered up his best apologetic pout and wide-eyed stare. "I'm sorry, Kakashi." He said, his trembling lower lip adding effect to his performance. "I was only kiddin'." Pleased with Pakkun's apology, Katana pulled him back inside her protective hug and gave his tiny head a comforting pat. Her gaze darted up to the jounin expectantly, one of her eyebrows rising. "Well, Tou-san?"

His crossed arms tightening over his chest, Kakashi turned away with a childish 'hmph' and rolled his lone eye. "…Fine. I won't donate him to the dog pound." In her arms, Pakkun let out a relieved grunt and jumped off her hold, walking away happily. "I won't do it again, I swear." He called out before sprinting towards the window, leaping out of the apartment. A snort of laughter escaped Katana as she pulled back her chair and sat on it, her hand reaching out for a toast.

"You're not old, Tou-san." She said reassuringly with a smile, taking a bite out of her bread. She heard Kakashi sigh and watched him untie the apron around his body, hanging it over a plastic hook attached to the kitchen wall. "Thanks."

With a plate on his hand, Kakashi took his seat across the girl, setting down the bacon strips. His long-fingered hand reached out for the mug of coffee, the warm cup meeting his parted lips eagerly. Placing down the mug, he skewered a bacon strip using his chopsticks and picked up a piece of toast. "If it weren't for you boosting up my ego, I'm pretty sure I would have suffered from confidence loss right now because of them." Kakashi good-humoredly remarked, grinning when the latter scoffed in disbelief.

"Oh, please." Katana said around a mouthful of bread, taking her coffee and sipping. "Your ego is already big enough. A little bruising from Pakkun and the others won't hurt a bit." Feigning hurt, Kakashi sniffed as he dramatically placed a hand over his heart. "Ne, for a minute there I actually thought you were siding with me. I was wrong. You're still mean."

"You're still old." Shot back Katana, smirking cheekily when the silver-haired man narrowed his eye on her.

"Brat."

"Geezer."

"Meanie."

"Old man."

"Evil, heartless, cruel—"

"Old-fashioned, lazy, annoying—"

"Little Kat-cha—"

"Kakashi-ojii-san."

"…Ouch."

Grinning at their teasing exchange, Katana finished the last of her toast and downed her coffee before picking up both plate and mug and piling them on the sink. "I have to go, Tou-san." She said as she snatched up her sword that leaned against a far corner, tying the string of its sheath securely on her belt. "I'll see you later, okay?" Offering him a genuine smile, Katana waved goodbye and went out of the door, closing it behind her. The sudden burst of light as she stepped outside made her squint and she walked towards the village center in relaxed strides, taking in a lungful of the crisp morning air.

"Katana-nee-chan!" Twisting her head to the side, she beamed warmly at Moegi and Konohamaru, sending them a lazy wave of acknowledgement as she continued on her way. From afar, Kiba and Shino bickered as they both carried boxes in their arms, the Aburame boy stopping his movement to nod at Katana in greeting. Katana smiled at him in return and chuckled when the Inuzuka finally noticed her, his hand waving around crazily. "Ohayo, Katana-chan!"

Her smile widening, she mock-saluted to him, grinning good-naturedly back at the fanged boy. Slowly, she made her way to the heart of the village and the crowd of people thickened, the various noises increasing in number. Maintaining her composed demeanor, Katana collected chakra at the balls of her feet and pushed herself off the ground, landing smoothly on the roof of a low building. Picking up her pace, she sprinted, scanning the messy bunch down below to search for the familiar building. Her eyes finally caught sight of the Hokage Office and she jumped down, avoiding people easily and sliding inside the headquarters safely.

Sighing in relief, Katana proceeded to make her way for the Hokage's Quarters, keeping her footsteps light and soundless as she went. Halfway through her goal, a sudden creak in the wooden floor made her halt in her tracks, her body tensing up. "Yes?" She asked the newcomer behind her cautiously, shifting just a bit to the side so that she could glance at him from the corner of her eye.

The man had his head wrapped in bindings, half of his face concealed by the white curtain-like cloth. Judging from his style of clothing, the hourglass symbol on his forehead protector and the perfected stoic expression on his face, Katana presumed that he was a Suna shinobi, probably of jounin level.

"Are you Yotsuki Katana?" Inquired the stranger without emotion, his posture back-numbingly straight and rigid. Whirling to fully face him, the brunette shot him a calculating stare, hesitating slightly before answering, "Hai. I'm Katana. Is there anything you need?"

The man turned his back on her suddenly and began walking away, calling out when he noticed her confusion, "Follow me." With a doubtful frown, the kunoichi followed the man wordlessly but kept a safe distance away from him, just in case. The Sand jounin led her to the hallway on the right and walked straight, finally slowly to a stop in front of a caramel-colored door. Above it, a sign was plastered, written as 'Kazekage's Quarters'.

Reading the sign, Katana blushed furiously, feeling heat radiate off her face. _Gaara, you lazy jerk. You didn't need to send a guard to summon me._ The jounin faced her once more and bowed curtly before taking his exit, leaving Katana to stare at the light-shaded door. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she turned the knob and peeked in tentatively, surprise taking over her embarrassment when she found no sign of the redhead and instead saw three elderly men behind a U-shaped table, all dressed in the same flowing brown robes. "Um…" Nervously gazing back and forth between the three, Katana pushed the door open and made her presence noticed by the three men.

"Oh." The one on the right was the first one to react, his voice high-pitched and shrill. His frame was short and bulky, his cheeks round and bulging as he frowned slightly. "Are you the girl we've called for?" he asked, raising a stern eyebrow. "Yotsuki Kana?" Allowing herself to slide inside, the brunette blinked twice at the round man, smiling awkwardly.

"Anou, it's Katana. Yotsuki Katana." She corrected uncomfortably, pushing the door shut and bringing her hands together on her back. Three pairs of eyes scanned her up and down, as if scrutinizing her closely and she fidgeted in her place, grimacing slightly in discomfort.

Tension was in the air and Katana gulped, looking at them with obvious unease. Finally, the man on the middle looked up to meet her gaze and smiled at her, dismissing a fraction of her agitation. He was tan, tall and broad-shouldered, a neatly-trimmed beard on his chin and a friendly twinkle in his dark eyes.

"Ohayo. I am Isobe Yusei, one of Kazekage Gaara-sama's counselors. My fellow counselors that are with me, as you see, are Arakawa Daishiro", he said, gesturing to the man that first spoke, and then to the one in the left, "and Hara Etsuko." Beaming at her again, he said in his low, deep voice, "We have summoned you, dear child, to discuss a topic concerning the Kazekage."

"The Kazekage?" Katana repeated, her eyes narrowing in doubt, "Concerning Gaara? Why? Is something wrong?" The counselor on the left—the one named Etsuko, laughed at her question, startling Katana from her place. "Nothing is wrong. We assure you that." He said nonchalantly, his grin unreliable and malicious-looking. "However", he continued, his voice dropping down to a low tone, "if you make any disagreements or complaints, then there will be trouble indeed."

Incredulity flashed through Katana's grey eyes, her fists balling stubbornly as she forgot her earlier nervousness. "Is that a threat, Etsuko-sama?" She drawled out slowly, her awkward tone turning hard and icy. The three counselors froze in alarm, taken aback by the sudden change in her attitude. "N-No, of course not, my dear. We are not trying to threaten anyone." Yusei hastily reassured, glaring mildly at the man beside him. "We are here to talk and only to talk." He said and took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "Alright, shall we start?"

Grimacing tensely at the trio, Katana flexed her balled fists, letting them fall by her sides. "Hai. Please do." She replied sharply, not bothering to hide the distrust and doubt in her tone anymore. "I'm actually quite busy today. So it'll be for the best if we get this over with quickly." Yusei nodded twice and motioned to the chair in front of them, cracking a nervous smile at her. "Please sit down." Briskly, the girl pulled back the chair and took a seat, her back stiff with tension. "Now then, before we start talking, I'd like to clarify one thing." Said Daishiro, propping his fat elbows up on the table and entwining his fingers together in front of him. "You are the Kazekage's…girlfriend, are you not?"

"Hai, I am."

At this, the counselors exchanged knowing glances, murmuring amongst themselves in hushed tones and faces readily turning grim. With a sigh, Yusei excused himself from the conversation and faced Katana, his smile nowhere to be found. "That fact might be a little problem." He began, taking in a deep breath. "As you would have known, child, young Gaara-sama as Kazekage has duties to his village. One of those duties is to make sure the village is prosperous and its economy is well-off."

"Yes." Agreed Katana slowly, narrowing her eyes in confusion. She turned to glance back at the wall clock that hung above the door, frowning when she realized how late she was for her mission. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but why are you telling me things I'm already aware of?" She asked the group, crossing her arms over her chest. She glared at them impatiently, her jaws clenching and mouth pressing firmly in a thin line. Etsuko snorted in his place, his lips forming a disapproving sneer. "We are getting to the point, girl. Listen to us talk first." He reprimanded, shaking his head thoroughly and muttering incoherent things under his breath.

"Like Yusei-sama had said", Daishiro continued hastily, clearing his throat to ease the brewing tension between the two, "it is the Kazekage's duty to protect his village and provide its needs. The Suna economy, as of currently, is stable under Gaara-sama's rule. However, being stable is not enough. The infrastructures are not improving; the tourism in Sunagakure is still as poor as it was before. Gaara-sama has focused too much in the improvement of the village's security and its military power and has forgotten the other aspects of the village. Now, we are facing yet another problem because of his negligence and inexperience. Suna is currently running low in funds and with war upon us, wealth is essential for maintaining Suna's defense as well as for fixing the damages that it will bring upon the village."

"Is this what you had discussed with Gaara the other day?" questioned Katana, looking at them expectantly. Yusei's eyes widened in surprise and he pursed his lips, leaning towards the table. "Has the Kazekage already informed you of what we had talked about yesterday?" There was a worried crease that appeared in his forehead, looking almost as if he dreaded her answer. Blinking, Katana shook her head in confusion and saw the tanned man sigh in relief. "No. He wouldn't tell me, but he was really upset by it. Is the problem that bad?" She asked them in concern, her crossed arms dropping limply. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Hearing her offer aid, Etsuko smirked instantly, self-satisfaction written all over his expression. "The problem is still remediable, but yes, we are in need of your cooperation for the solution to be able to work out. You see, we already suggested an answer to this problem to the Kazekage but he turned the idea down immediately." Eyebrows furrowing, Katana shifted in her seat, perplexed by what the old man had said. "I don't understand. Why would Gaara turn it down? He does everything for his village, so why would he—"

"He turned it down because of you." Cut off Daishiro suddenly as he repeatedly drummed his fingers on the table, sending the girl an accusing look. The brunette gaped at him, her orbs widening as her confusion increased. "Why am I involved?" She asked, gritting her teeth when they didn't answer her. "What's the solution anyway?" She demanded, finally sick of being clueless all along.

The response she got was a loud sigh from Etsuko and he yawned, trying to look uninterested. "You really want to know?" He asked her to make sure, grinning mysteriously when he saw the unwavering glint in her eyes. "Tell me." Katana pleaded as she leaned forward, her hands squeezing the armrest of her chair in a death grip.

"An arranged marriage with the Wind Daimyo's only daughter."

Silence dawned inside the room as the seated brunette stared at them, her eyes wide and expression frozen in shock. Katana felt her breathing turn shallow as air rushed out of her lungs, her heart squeezing agonizingly and her mind breaking down once it registered the counselor's words. She gaped at them, no sound leaving her parted mouth. After a minute or two, her grasp on the armrests slackened and her hands fell to her lap, her eyes dropping down t the floor.

The kunoichi sealed her mouth shut and clamped tightly, one hand reaching up to comb through her locks. "I…", she began in a hushed voice and hesitated, snapping up to look at them desperately. "Is—Is that really the only way?" she stuttered out, her shoulders sagging as she sunk down on the chair. "I mean, w-we're only 17. He's only 17. A-And with war on our doorstep—"

"War is exactly the reason why we are rushing. The Wind Daimyo wants to make sure he, together with his family, is kept safe during the period of war and in return, he offers his wealth to Suna and his daughter to the Kazekage." Yusei explained with an inaudible sigh, glancing at Katana with pity. "You must understand, dear child. Gaara-sama chose this. And he is aware that he must sacrifice everything for his village." The counselor gave her a pointed look, narrowing his eyes at her. "But with you around, he seems to be forgetting his duties."

Forcing back the painful lump that lodged itself in her throat, Katana glowered at man in indignation. "Are you suggesting that I break up with him?" She demanded, standing up abruptly and sending the chair to topple over and crash noisily down on the floor.

Unfazed, Etsuko merely raised a nonchalant eyebrow, inspecting his nails in an indifferent manner. "That's exactly what we're suggesting, girl." He cackled at her hurt expression, clutching his sides as he laughed as if it was the funniest thing on earth. "What's with that face?" He asked between merciless chuckles, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye using his finger.

"You must have at least expected for this to happen!" Etsuko grinned at her cruelly, enjoying the tortured furrow of her eyebrows and the downcast frown on her face. Clearing his throat, Daishiro raised one eyebrow, looking at her skeptically. "Iwahashi Yuuna is the daimyo's daughter. You, on the other hand, are nothing a mere Konoha chuunin. What can you possibly offer him that is greater than wealth?" The counselor asked challengingly, leaning back on his chair without a care.

Clenching her teeth stubbornly, Katana glowered at him, striding towards the door. She reached out for the brass knob and twisted it open harshly, halting in mid-exit. "I give him happiness." She whispered in a pained voice, narrowed grey orbs glaring at the three men spitefully. Once more, Yusei sighed and reached up to rub his aching temple. "The village's prosperity and bright future is the Kazekage's happiness." He corrected and gave the girl a grave frown. "I hope you understand us, my dear. Now, will you cooperate with us?"

"Staying with Gaara-sama only makes it harder for him to make his choice." Daishiro piped in suddenly, earning the girl's attention. He met her eyes and stared back unflinchingly, bringing his chin down on his propped up hand. "Helping Suna and his people in hopes that they would finally accept him…that he would finally be needed; that was his ultimate dream ever since I first met the boy. You're in his way of reaching his goal. If you really love him…" Said the counselor, his voice sincere and heartfelt, "then you'll let him go."

The man's last statement echoed painfully in her ears, repeating endlessly inside the depths of her mind. Grey orbs snapped shut, preventing any gathered moisture from spilling out and down her face. _I do…love him…_ She let out a ragged breath, feeling the excruciating pain of her heart contracting slowly, all the words dying inside her mouth. The girl yanked the door open shakily, her hand dropping from its grasp on the doorknob. With a trembling inhale, Katana straightened up stiffly and tilted her chin up high. Mustering up her remaining courage, she reigned control of her voice and shook off her temporary muteness.

"I'll…think about it. Please excuse me."

The men's words of appreciation and encouragement was the last thing she heard before she walked out of the room, her heart weighing heavy inside her chest more than ever.

**End Chapter**


	37. Chapter 37 The Decision

**Author's Note: **Yoo hoo! My last update before I go through another 10 months of academic torture, guys! I hope you enjoy. Don't worry, I'll do my best to update soon as possible. ^^

**Enjoy and Review!**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 37: The Decision

The scratch of pen against paper echoed out amidst the tranquil silence of the room, a black trail left on the surface of the parchment. Heaps and heaps of fat folders occupied the desk, the small coffee table and the floor, making the normally spacious office look cramped. From behind the paperwork-filled wooden desk, a blonde woman sat on her chair, her shoulders hunched and stiff, while weary, golden-rimmed eyes scanned yet another file. Outside the quiet building, the noises of the busy crowd can be heard diminishing, darkness readily taking over the radiant orange sky.

Three consecutive, heavy knocks against the door broke both the silence and the Hokage's concentration, igniting a small frown to develop on her tired face. Resuming her reading, Tsunade called out without looking up, "Come in." The wooden sliding door was pushed open and footsteps barged in, causing the medic to look up instinctively. "Ah, Katana." She greeted casually, straightening up from her position in order to face the brunette better. "How was the mission?"

"It was very refreshing, Tsunade-sama." Quipped the kunoichi with dry sarcasm and Tsunade snorted in a short burst of laughter, shaking her head at the girl who unfortunately managed to inherit Kakashi's obnoxious sense of humor. "Avoid answering to me like that, brat." She warned in mock strictness, wagging a finger in front, "You'll never know when you'll be unlucky enough to catch me in one of my irate moods and get pummeled flat on my office floor."

"Duly noted, Tsunade-sama." Answered the younger girl as she handed out her umpteenth mission report for the week, a relieved sigh escaping her once the folder left her hands. "Are there any other missions you have in line for me today?" Tsunade looked up from the file to the brunette's face, blinking in surprise and incredulity. "Katana", she drawled out slowly, as if determined to make the latter understand her statement word for word, "It's already 6:45. Your day normally ends here, doesn't it?" Said kunoichi shrunk back in embarrassment at her inquiry, right after her grey eyes darted outside of the window in order to check if what the woman said was true indeed.

One hand rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly, Katana frowned mildly at the woman seated behind the desk. "I know, but I can still stay a bit if you have anything left for me to do. I wouldn't mind working for another hour—"

"Katana." The girl stopped immediately at her call, the kunoichi tensing up in reflex. Grey orbs fixed themselves on her grimacing face, hesitation clear on Katana's expression. "Hai?"

"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked simply, laying her chin down on her propped up arm, her hand dangling carelessly. Concern was scribbled all over the master medic's exceptionally young face, a small worried crease appearing between her thin eyebrows. "You've been working yourself to the brink of exhaustion more often lately for the past few days. You don't seem to be too thrilled at the idea of going home and resting either." The Sannin stated her observation, keeping her eyes glued to the girl the whole time. "Did you and Kakashi fight perhaps?"

With a downcast expression, Katana shook her head languidly, signs of weariness finally showing on her face. "No. There's nothing wrong, Tsunade-sama." She replied dismissively and shrugged when the woman gave her a critical glance. "I'm just trying to distract myself from worrying over the war too much." She said and the blonde's glare intensified, Tsunade's red lips turning down into a disapproving scowl. "I've never heard such a lame lie from you before, Katana." The Hokage said, leaning back tiredly on her chair. "Is that the best one you can make up at the moment?"

This time around, the brunette chose to remain silent, her mouth slowly sealing themselves shut as a blank façade crossed her features. The two females stared at each other, both daring the latter and waiting for a reaction. Finally, Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes, gently bringing a hand up against her forehead. "It's about Gaara, isn't it?" She said and didn't need to open her eyes to know that the girl stiffened visibly, her chakra suddenly becoming frenzied and scattered inside the office. "Really girl, what is it this tim—" Before the woman could deliver her question fully, the sound of the door sliding open made them both turn to it, eyes widening in alarm and color draining away from Katana's face once she saw the newcomer.

"Hokage-sama." The smooth voice that belonged to the young Kazekage addressed the blonde in a monotone, a bow of acknowledgement accompanying it. Aquamarine eyes that were usually cool and unfazed seemed thoroughly tired as they scanned the girl nearest to the door, worry flashing through the twin orbs. "Katana." The redhead said curtly, his tone sounding strained and choked. Without returning the greeting, Katana swiftly turned back to face Tsunade and bowed goodbye hastily. "I must be going now, Hokage-sama." Said Katana, the distress that laced her tone not going unnoticed by the two Kages. The brunette pulled herself back up and rapidly bypassed the boy on the doorway, her pace confusingly rushed and anxious.

Katana kept up her half-walk half-jog speed as she quickly made her way through the hallways, the exit seemingly farther than it was before as she desperately tried to reach it faster without having to run. A rough, claw-like hand coiled around her ankle all of a sudden, taking her by surprise and almost causing her to lose her balance. She caught herself just in time and sidestepped to keep herself from falling, chills slithering up her spine when the grains of sand around her foot tightened their hold on her. A sharp rush of air sent her hair flying over her shoulders, the girl's breath hitching when she felt the sudden heat radiated by the body that teleported behind her.

"Katana..." Long fingers wrapped themselves gently around her wrist, the redhead's warm breath fanning the nape of her neck. Shivering at the touch, Katana forced herself to calm down, distractedly focusing on evening out the frantic beat of her heart. A gentle tug on her arm whirled her around, her grey eyes defiantly staring back at aquamarine ones. "Why are you avoiding me?" The blunt question made her inwardly wince and she narrowed her eyes at him, pursing her lips guiltily. "I'm not avoiding you." She responded tersely, snatching back her hand from him.

Surprise and hurt flickered through sea foam orbs before they tightened into dangerous slits as well, glaring at the moody girl. "Don't lie to me." Gaara drawled out in frustration, crossing his arms over his chest. "You've been acting more and more distant from me for the past five days now. Explain your actions earlier at the Hokage's Quarters. What happened?" The inquiry had a hard edge on it, sounding more like a demand rather than a question.

Looking away from his face and grimacing, Katana shook her head and answered lowly, "Nothing happened. I'm just tired." An inaudible sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, feeling an impending migraine starting to develop inside her head. Scowling pigheadedly, Gaara narrowed his eyes at her further, his aquamarine orbs threatening to drill a hole in her forehead.

"Tired of what exactly?" He asked doubtfully, his tone coming out as an angry hiss. Suddenly, ash-colored eyes snapped open, rage and offense flashing through them and Katana's weary expression melted into one of fury. "Of everything, Gaara!" She snapped irately in reply, throwing her hands up in an attempt to release some pent-up frustration. She glowered up at him and frowned, planting her hands on her hips and no longer caring if anyone heard them bicker. "I'm tired of all this work. I'm tired of preparing for war."

_I'm tired of having to avoid you…_

"I'm tired of having to get up every single day and doing the same damn thing."

_I'm tired of how unfair this life is to us…_

"I'm tired of making all these freaking decisions!"

_I'm just so tired, Gaara…_

"I'm tired of—of being forced to make these decisions! And more importantly, I'm just so damn sick of—"

"Me?"

Katana stopped in midsentence, all the fury leaving her system once her brain registered his question. She blinked at him twice and grimaced in bewilderment, hands dropping harmlessly by her sides. "What?"

"Are you…tired of me, Katana?" Gaara repeated his question in a hushed whisper, his tone desolate and trembling, nothing like the monotone, composed voice Katana was used to. His expression was pained, almost helpless as he glared at her weakly, waiting for her answer. "Is that what you were trying to say?" Sucking in a sharp intake of breath, Katana stared at the boy with wide eyes, a small voice in the back of her head whispering encouragingly. _This is my chance…I could end it all right here, right now. _She shakily released a sigh and parted her mouth but hesitated, her heart painfully skipping a beat and a wave of nausea attacking her at the thought of rejecting him and breaking both their hearts.

Swallowing insistently, she gritted her teeth and hardened her resolve, taking a deep breath to calm herself. _I have to do this. For you, Gaara. I don't want to be in the way of your dream…because I love you. _Just as she had gathered enough guts to open her mouth and speak, all the words died and lodged in her throat when a pair of strong arms slid over her waist, pulling her flat against his warm body, his lips crashing down on hers urgently.

Her eyes flew open in shock as her mind tried to process the situation but she find it all impossible to comprehend, especially when his skilled mouth moved against hers in such a persuading manner. Finally, her determination crumbled down fully and she threw her arms around his neck urgently, giving in to what her heart had really desired.

_Why can't I do it? _She desperately asked herself as she gripped him tightly, burying her hands in his wild, crimson locks. _Why can't I tell him? Why can't I let him go…?_ Moisture stung her eyes as the realization hit her and she withdrew from the kiss, drawing in a breathless gasp and stubbornly fighting back the tears. "I—I love you." She blurted out, thumping her head down against his collarbone and seeking comfort in his embrace. She felt the gentle press of his lips on the top of her head and sighed, closing her bloodshot eyes.

"I love you too." Gaara whispered softly, his large hand combing through her hair as the other tightened its hold around her body protectively. "Please don't do that again…." He murmured to her, tucking her head under his chin. Fear and anxiety entered his tone, his voice cracking slightly when he spoke again. "I…I don't know what I'll do if I—if I lost you once more just because of my stupidity…I don't think I can handle it."

"I'm sorry…" Apologized Katana feebly, her grip on his neck loosening from exhaustion. She released a sigh, burrowing her face deeper on his red vest and leaning against him tiredly. His natural scent of cinnamon and sand filled her senses, lulling her to sleep with its familiar aroma. She could feel her consciousness slowly leaving her, her hands slackening from his shoulders. "I…can't do it." She murmured hoarsely, a few crystal teardrops slipping out as she closed her eyes forcefully. "I'm sorry. I…love you too much…to ever…let you go…" She finished her sentence just in time, her body limply collapsing against him as she passed out due to fatigue.

Unfazed and truthfully surprised at how long she managed to stay awake, Gaara kept one hand supporting her back as he bent down, sliding his other arm under her knees and picking her up easily. Glancing down at the peacefully sleeping girl in his arms, he sighed, brushing a faint kiss against her cheek. "I'll never let them bring us apart. I won't leave you, Katana…I promise." He said, the girl disappearing with him in a flurry of sand and vanishing from the Hokage Office.

* * *

Grey orbs peeked dazedly from behind lowered eyelids, groggily trying to make out the details of her blurry surroundings. With a groan, Katana pushed herself up with her elbows, sitting up and rubbing away the fuzziness from her eyes. Her gaze scanned the place up and down, her mind recognizing the familiar setting. "My room…" Her eyebrows furrowed down together in confusion and she pushed back her covers to stand up, glancing down momentarily when she discovered that she fell asleep without even changing into something more comfortable.

Brushing back the hair strands that fell on her face, she cast her gaze down at the floor, racking her brain for unclear memories. She could vaguely remember talking to Tsunade and submitting her mission report—which was a relief to know, because the report had been nothing but a great, big pain in the ass—and then rushing out of the Quarters when she encountered the redhead unexpectedly. The memory fell back into place as she recalled being with him and then collapsing out of exhaustion; the young Kazekage had probably brought her here. "Gaara…" she breathed out tentatively, feeling disappointed yet very much relieved at the same time.

Sitting back down on the edge of her bed, she dropped her elbows onto her lap and wove her fingers together, frowning as she contemplated over her next decision._ I couldn't tell him…_She thought worriedly, her frown deepening further. _The Suna elders aren't going to like this at all…_A painful throb inside her brain cut her off from her thoughts and she flinched, one hand clutching her aching head. _Great, just what I need this morning_, she scoffed inwardly, rolling her eyes sarcastically,_ a migraine._

A sudden knock on the door made her head protest again by vibrating rebelliously, causing the girl to release a broken whine as both hands shot up to grip the sides of her head and fall back down on her mattress. "Katana? You alright?" Kakashi's voice sounded out suddenly in concern, his mop of silver-hair poking from behind the door. Face scrunched up in pain, Katana sat back up slowly, trying to ignore the pounding of her head. "Hai, Tou-san. It's just a headache, that's all." She said and added a minimal amount of pressure against her pounding temples, looking up at Kakashi curiously. "Did Gaara drop me here yesterday?"

"Yeah, he did." The jounin confirmed for her, leaning against the open doorway and crossing his arms together. "It's a good thing you were with him in the first place. I was getting worried by the time it became past seven." Her lips quirking up in a lopsided smile, Katana snorted, beaming up at him. "I'm seventeen , Tou-san. And a chuunin too. There's hardly anything to be worried about. I can take care of myself just fine." She reassured him, her smile widening when a rare blush tainted the composed man's face. "I know that." Kakashi said defensively, looking away in embarrassment. Chuckling and standing up, Katana shot him a grateful beam. "Thanks for worrying anyway."

The man's open eye softened and he smiled crookedly, shaking his gray head and turning his back on her. "I'll always worry about you." He remarked nonchalantly, the affectionate twinkle in his orb as he strode towards the living room betraying his unaffected façade. "Before I forget", he added, stopping short of disappearing from a corner and facing her again, "Hokage-sama has a mission scheduled for you to do today—And no, you're not late, just so we're clear. You still have an hour left to prepare." He smirked at the relieved breath she let out at the last statement and turned to leave her finally, the girl then rushing in front of her closet.

Swinging open the twin doors, Katana grabbed the first articles of clothing her hand came in contact with and sprinted for the bathroom, closing the door and locking it. The shower hissed as she turned its knob open, steam erupting out of the bathtub. The brunette released a groan when the droplets fell on her body, the heat of the water easing her headache and her stiff muscles. Tilting her head back, grey eyes closed as the water continuously hit her, thoughts swarming her mind once more.

_Gaara…I don't want to lose him. It's taken us years to finally be together. I don't think I can break just this bond and walk away like his counselors suggested—They have no idea how hard it is for us anyway. They would never understand. _She mentally remarked, frowning grudgingly when she remembered the day they spoke to her about the matter._ As much as I want to be selfish, I can't just do what I want. I have to somehow do something…I can't let them marry Gaara off to the daimyo's daughter but on the other hand, I don't want Suna to suffer either…What do I do? _She grimaced at her contradicting ideas, her teeth clenching together in frustration.

Hand shooting up to turn the shower knob close, she pushed back the shower curtain and reached out for a clean towel, ruffling her hair dry and wiping her body free from the moisture. Dressing hastily, Katana pulled the black shirt over her head and slipped on her knee-high shorts as she burst out of the bathroom, running through the living room and for the door. "You're not eating here?" She heard Kakashi call out from the kitchen and craned her head back as she tugged on her sandals, replying hurriedly, "I'll just grab something on the way, Tou-san!"

She yanked the door of their apartment open and closed it behind her, immediately taking the fastest route up on the roofs. Arriving at the Hokage Office five minutes later, the girl wasted no time and resorted to sprinting for the Quarters, recalling with a grimace the time when the Suna counselors had summoned her while she was on her way to her mission. Stopping in front of the sliding door, she knocked and waited for the permission, pushing the door open when she heard the usual, "Come in."

"Katana. You're early." Tsunade acknowledged with a faint smirk at the sight of the young brunette entering her office, chuckling when said girl flashed an easy grin. "Tou-san finally learned how to inform people their schedule in a considerate manner." She said, shrugging nonchalantly. "Looks like my years of beating him afterwards had paid off—Ah, Ohayo, Hinata." The kunoichi greeted when she saw the timid Hyuuga heiress by the side, offering her a gentle smile.

"O-Ohayo, K-Katana-chan." Hinata shyly beamed back, her cheeks dusted by the usual pink blush. "Let's get back to business." Successfully grabbing the attentions of the two teenagers, Tsunade plastered a calm demeanor and pulled out a mission scroll from the top desk drawer, handing it over to Katana. "This is merely a C-rank mission, but I don't want either of you to underestimate it." The blonde warned in advance, giving both girls a stern gaze.

"An official of Suna decided to visit today and will be meeting with us. He brought his daughter along and asked me to have my best shinobi guard over her during the whole period of the day." At this, Tsunade snorted, rolling her eyes sideward. "Of course, I'm not stupid. I won't waste my capable jounin to babysit some rich brat, so I've assigned you two chuunins instead."

Hinata's disappointed reaction made Katana fleetingly glance at her, grey eyes snapping back at the Hokage disapprovingly. Tsunade lightly winced at the pale-eyed girl's downcast pout and cleared her throat, hastily adding, "Of course, that doesn't mean I think you girls are weak. In fact, I've delegated this mission to you because I know both of you are reliable kunoichi. Now, going back to the details, the Wind Daimyo's daughter is about a year younger than you girls. Her name's Iwahashi Yuuna."

Katana stiffened reflexively at the mention of the familiar name, her smile turning down in an appalled grimace. _"Iwahashi Yuuna is the daimyo's daughter. You, on the other hand, are nothing a mere Konoha chuunin…"_ Daishiro's irritatingly high-pitched voice echoed inside her mind, the question that followed taunting her endlessly, _"What can you possibly offer him that is greater than wealth?"_Hands balled into tight fists, the scroll she held crumpling slightly from the pressure as she unconsciously glowered down at the tiled floor. "Katana, something the matter?" Tsunade's inquiry rang out, distracting the girl away from her trance.

Flexing her hands open and looking up, Katana shook her head and forced a tight smile, "No, I'm alright, Tsunade-sama. How long do we have to watch over her again?" She asked with hidden dread, anger stirring in her stomach relentlessly. "Just until 5'o clock. Then you're free to go. You'll meet them at the gates of Konoha. She's brought along two to three guards with her, so there's no rush." Tsunade answered, propping her arms up on her wooden desk. "Is the mission clear?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." Replied the two girls together, bowing in sync and excusing themselves. Before Katana could rush out, Tsunade called her attention again and the brunette looked back curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Hai?" She let out a startled yelp when the woman threw a blue envelope at her with excessive force, picking it off her face and glaring at the Hokage in embarrassment. Tsunade's only reply was a knowing smirk and lazy shooing motions with her hand as she explained, "It's from your lover boy. I hope the two of you have made out—er, made up already."

"I'll see you later, Hokage-sama." Droned out Katana in a mixture of annoyance and humiliation as she closed the door behind her, tentatively looking down at the sealed note. "K-Katana-chan?" Hinata's stuttering voice made her glance up from the letter and she smiled at the girl, tucking away the envelope inside her pocket. She could read it later. For now, they had a miserable mission to complete. "Come on, Hinata." She murmured with a sigh, walking side by side with the girl out of the Office.

The two dodged the crowd easily as a few words were exchanged between them, mostly Katana asking the latter about the day she and Naruto went out to eat ramen together. "He didn't do anything foolish now, did he?" Katana asked the shy girl with a hint of protectiveness in her tone, frowning mildly at the thought of Naruto embarrassing the poor girl. Flushing in both mortification and gratefulness, Hinata shook her head, smiling reassuring. "N-No, he didn't. N-Naruto-kun was actually a c-complete gentleman." She told the kunoichi, erasing the doubt and worry of the brunette.

"Oh." Katana said in surprise, looking pleased to hear the guarantee from the girl. "That's good then."

"H-Hai. I've a-also been m-meaning to t-thank you, K-Katana-chan."

"Thank me for what, Hinata?"

"F-For h-helping me go o-out with N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered softly, her blush intensifying. She swallowed lightly and brought her arms up to cover her front, poking her two index fingers together in an undying habit. "A-Anou…I c-could've never d-done it alone…E-Even Kiba-kun and S-Shino-kun tell me t-that I should b-be more confident."

"You should be more confident, Hinata." Katana piped in with an encouraging smile, grinning down at the girl. "You're beautiful and strong. You belong to one of the most powerful clans in Konoha. There's nothing to be ashamed of about yourself." She said, nudging the girl's shoulder gently with her own. "I bet Naruto likes you as well. He's just too much of a dense idiot to—" Katana halted in mid-statement, her mouth left agape as her attention turned to the sight in front of them.

"Huh."

Grey eyes and lavender orbs scanned the scene with both disbelief and panic, the two girls finding themselves staring at what seemed to be a dozen or more burly men surrounding a young woman in the middle. The bodyguards were at least six feet in height, all of them having the same bulky built and carrying the same dangerous-looking swords. Intimidated by the number of people, Hinata took a step back, turning to Katana with uneasiness. "A-Anou…are w-we s-supposed to w-watch over a-all of t-them?" The frowning brunette shook her head slowly, obviously displeased with the vast change in details.

Katana contained the explosive sigh that wanted so badly to get out and beamed half-heartedly at Hinata, lifting the girl's low spirit. "Don't worry, I'll talk to them about it. You just stay behind me, okay?" Taking a calming deep breath, Katana approached the group with a smile, undeterred by the towering heights the men had compared to their rather slim figures. "Excuse me." She called out, earning the attention of one of the guards. Beady eyes were narrow as they stared down on her face, the man looking irritated by her intrusion. "Whaddya want, kid?"

Eyebrows shot up in amazement at the name the man had called her, Katana crossing her arms over her chest. "Is that Iwahashi Yuuna-sama over there? We're assigned to look after her." The sudden roar of laughter she received made Hinata squeak and jump away slightly, the kunoichi nervously fidgeting around her partner's icy aura. "Y-You girls are the assigned shinobi?" The bodyguard asked again with a short guffaw, looking thoroughly entertained by the idea. "I don't believe it! You don't even look like you can protect yourselves. How are you supposed to protect Yuuna-sama?"

Katana's friendly beam twitched by the sides as she fought back her rising anger, the livid girl's head snapping up to meet the man's amused grin with a death glare and an offended grimace of her own. "I assure you, we are more than capable to protect her." She replied through clenched teeth, her voice coming out as an impatient hiss. "So please stand aside and let us meet our client." With a snort of disbelief, the guy shook his head in hilarity and yet took a step back, allowing the two to get a better view of the daimyo's daughter.

At the sight of the blonde girl clad in the red and gold formal kimono, both kunoichi bowed before her, Hinata smiling bashfully and greeting once she straightened up, "O-Ohayo, Yuuna-sama. W-We are t-the k-kunoichi assigned by T-Tsunade-sama to take c-care of you today." The sixteen year old female turned to face them in surprise, her dainty eyebrows furrowing and her lips falling into a disappointed pout when she saw them. The blonde crossed her sleeved arms and huffed childishly, glaring at the girls. "Why did the Hokage assign you to tour me around?" She asked them indignantly, scowling and turning away. "I asked for cute men! Not weak females!"

"B-But, w-we're not weak, Yuuna-sama." Hinata protested patiently, looking somewhat hurt by the latter's words. "W-We may not look like it, b-but we c-can protect you." She reassured confidently, smiling at the younger female. Large green eyes narrowed in anger and Yuuna threw her hands up, letting out an ear-piercing shriek that caused both kunoichi to cringe. "But I wanted men! I wanted Hatake Kakashi and that village hero, Uzumaki Naruto, to tour me! Not you guys! I don't like you!"

Katana winced at the shrill tone of the girl, gritting her teeth in frustration. _This is the girl they were trying to marry Gaara off to? _Sighing and rubbing a hand on her exhausted face, she reasoned out as calmly as she could, "But Yuuna-sama, you must understand. With war upon us, many of the jounin men are busy doing dangerous missions. The only thing left for us 'weak' females to do is to stay here in the village and welcome guests like you here in Konoha."

Swallowing tightly and keeping her temper in check, the brunette mustered another forced smile at the irrational girl. "Now, you wanted us to tour you around the village, right? Also, I'm Hatake Kakashi's daughter and Uzumaki Naruto's friend. I can answer any questions you have about them. Sound good?"

Hearing this, the girl brightened up instantly, her immature pout melting into an awed grin. "You'll answer to any question?" She inquired doubtfully, staring up into Katana's grey eyes. "Any question." Repeated Katana with a nod, flinching when the blonde gave a girlish squeal. "What are we waiting for then?" She asked them, smiling brightly. "Let's go! I want to see the shops around here!" Yuuna said as she began to walk to the direction of the village, trotting in between the two other girls and the dozen guards trailing behind them.

* * *

"Say, Kat." Yuuna piped in suddenly after a few moments of rare silence, the nickname unknowingly provoking the brunette's temper. It had been almost seven hours since they showed the girl around the village and only another hour was left before they could finally be free of the torture, yet Katana was more than ready to collapse out of pure exhaustion from all the questions she had been forced to answer and weariness of the girl's irrational behavior; the annoying pet names that she had given them did nothing but add fuel to her growing anger. It was a good thing that they had decided to take a breather from all the strolling and eat here inside a small dango shop, the girl's wavering patience slightly increasing the minute she bit into her first stick of dango.

"My name's Katana, Yuuna-sama." The kunoichi reminded tolerantly, setting down her empty wooden stick and picking up her second. "What is it that you wanted to ask me?" She inquired as she sunk her teeth into one of the sweet balls, chewing and waiting for the blonde's question. Yuuna looked up and pressed a finger on her chin, contemplating for the right words. "Well…how long will it still be before you and Hina take me to the Hokage Office?" The girl asked as she toyed with the iced inside the empty glass using her straw, her tone impatient and rude.

Nervous sweat broke across Katana's forehead when she picked up the edginess in the girl's voice, knowing all too well that it ended up with one of her horrid tantrums if not resolved immediately. "J-Just o-one more hour, Y-Yuuna-sama. P-Please be p-patient." Hinata answered from beside her, smiling comfortingly when Katana shot her a grateful look. Instead of throwing another fit, Yuuna simply groaned miserably—much to her tour guides' relief—and thumped her head down on the table. "Still another hour? Ehhh… But I wanna see Gaa-chan already."

Both Katana and Hinata froze at the name, the Hyuuga whipping her head to the side to glance at the brunette in confusion. Ignoring her teammate's look, Katana released a shaky breath and quirked her mouth up in a tight smile, propping her elbows up on the table indifferently. "Gaa-chan? Oh. You mean Kazekage-sama, Yuuna-sama?" Katana asked in mock innocence and paid no attention to the irritating twinge that suddenly set off inside her chest, her eyes flickering towards the girl. Yuuna nodded eagerly, her pale yellow locks bouncing with the movement. "Hai. I can't wait to see him! It's been so long."

"Are you friends with him, Yuuna-sama?"

"Well, not really. He's too quiet whenever he visits our mansion but he's really sweet to me."

"O-Oh?" Hinata inquired curiously, again shooting Katana a questioning look. Grey eyes darted to her direction and then back down on the table hastily, the brunette's orbs turning hard and her expression reflecting faked undying happiness. "H-He's a really n-nice guy, i-isn't he, Y-Yuuna-sama?" The indigo-haired girl offered with a small beam, realization dawning to her little by little.

"Hai, he really is…" Yuuna agreed with a dreamy sigh, propping her chin up with her palms. "He's so cute and handsome and tall…and cute…" Her faraway smile widened, a certain memory flashing through her mind. "Oh! And there was one time where he brought me roses…" Katana's heart clenched painfully at the words of the younger girl and she fought to keep her smile intact despite the ache stirring in the pit of her stomach, her mind stubbornly set on finishing the mission without any problem. Only Hinata's comforting hand over own from under their table kept her holding on, the brunette silently thanking her friend's endless understanding.

Their blonde client went on and on about her relationship with the redhead, speaking excitedly and remaining oblivious to her companion's discomfort. "And then, there was also that time when he helped me find Mr. Biscuits." Raising her eyebrows in feigned interest, the lavender-eyed individual leaned in further on the table. "M-Mr. Biscuits?" asked Hinata softly to keep the conversation going and to detain the blonde's attention, her hand squeezing Katana's apologetically. "My dog." Answered Yuuna with a giggle, her hand muffling the shrill laughter. Suddenly, she stopped to stare at Katana, her smile fading. "Is something wrong, Kat? You're not feeling well?"

The unresponsive kunoichi stiffened at the question, her smile already slightly wavering as her painful-looking posture became even more rigid. Her lowered head snapped up, startling both the other two with her gentle beam and at eased demeanor. "It's nothing, Yuuna-sama." Katana said with a dismissive wave of her hand, chuckling lightly. "Just a minor headache. Probably from the heat. Please continue your story about…Mr. Biscuits, was it? I'm thrilled to hear all about it."

She chuckled again when Yuuna gave off an excited gasp and rambled on without pausing to breathe, her words tumbling one over another in her haste. _This…hurts…_Katana silently mused as she pretended to pay attention to the story, her heart wrenching in agony every time the blonde mentions the name 'Gaara'. _Enduring this pain every time I would see Gaara with another girl…I can't possibly survive this. _The kunoichi's mind wandered off to her thoughts, memories of when they were together replaying inside her mind.

_**Flashback:**_

_Flowing brown tresses swayed along with the passing breeze, the fresh scent of morning dew and green grass lingering in the air. Twelve year old Yotsuki Katana inhaled deeply, releasing it as a sigh and mouth curling up in a content smile. She could feel her companion's questioning glance fixed on her and she craned her head to the side, her grey eyes twinkling with mirth as they met aquamarine. _

"_You know…" she began, studying his facial features with curiosity, "you're a lot different compared to the boys in this village." Her eyes traveled from his dark-ringed orbs to the engraved tattoo on his forehead, down to his nose and to where his mouth formed a thin line. "You're not lazy like a Nara…not annoying like an Uchiha…not loud like an Uzumaki neither arrogant like an Inuzuka. You're one of a kind!" She grinned, chuckling good-naturedly at his bewildered expression._

_Turning back to the cloudless, blue sky and closing her eyes, her beam softened as she whispered to the boy beside her, "I like a one-of-a-kind person…"_

* * *

"_I love you."_

_Grey eyes widened as the girl realized what she had said, the moment of bliss causing the words to tumble out of her mouth carelessly. She looked up at the redhead that hovered over her, cautiously studying his stoic face. Shock and disbelief was written all over his expression and the kunoichi winced inwardly, mentally cursing herself for going overboard._

"_I love you too." The velvety whisper caused goose bumps to rise on the length of her arms, heat radiating off her face. With a stupid smile, she pulled him closer, trapping him in her embrace._

_**End flashback**_

"—that's why I was so happy when Otou-sama agreed to arrange this marriage for us."

The statement broke through her thoughts and Katana's mind stopped dead, her breath hitching and her smile fading away as she took a minute to comprehend the words. "Wait." Katana interrupted suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she shifted her full attention to the girl she only previously pretended to listen to. "Come again?" She asked in incredulity, startling the ranting blonde and her quiet teammate. Yuuna blinked twice and frowned, looking peeved at being cut off from her story. "I said", she repeated in a hard tone, crossing her arms over each other and pouting, "that I was so happy when Otou-sama had agreed to arrange this marriage for me and Gaa-chan. Seriously Kat, you need to listen more clearl—"

"You mean, this marriage between you and the Kazekage-sama was arranged by your father…under your request?" Katana asked again, her voice rising gradually in anger as realization dawned to her. Giggling, Yuuna rolled her eyes and sighed, flashing Katana and amused smile. "Silly Kat, of course that's what I mean! It's not like Otou-sama would actually force me to marry someone! He adores me too much to do that."

_Then…_Katana's heart skipped a beat as her suspicions were confirmed, her held back rage suddenly taking over her system. _There was no need to let go after all…the money that the daimyo would offer in exchange for his family's safety would still be there…and Suna won't be suffering. _She balled her hands, her fists shaking in fury as she glowered at the table involuntarily. "Those damn bastards…" She seethed under her breath, a string of curses following as she recalled the rotten lies the counselors' mouths had spewed out.

Green eyes glared at Katana, Yuuna frowning in annoyance. Turning to the other girl who was just as confused, she asked sharply, "What's she talking about, Hina?" Startled, Hinata blinked rapidly at the blonde before glancing at Katana nervously, "A-Anou, I'm not so s-sure, Yuuna-sama. But", the Hyuuga heiress suddenly piped in, looking at the blonde girl hopefully, "A-Are you aware t-that K-Kazekage-sama is in a r-relationship, Yuuna-sama?" Hinata's inquiry rang inside Katana's ears and she looked up in dread, her anger leaving her as fear took over. She faced Hinata, shaking her pale face a 'no' in panic. White eyes widened and the dark-haired girl reddened in horror, an open hand clamping down her mouth.

"…In a relationship?" Yuuna repeated and caused both girls to stiffen in reflex, cold sweat running down the sides of Katana's blanching face as she smiled awkwardly at their unpredictable client. "N-Ne, it's probably just some stupid rumor, Yuuna-sama." She told the girl, waving her hands in front frantically. "Kazekage-sama couldn't possibly have a—" A high-pitched chuckle cut her off and Katana blanched even more so, swallowing and bracing herself for the blonde's reaction. "I'm aware that he has a girlfriend." Yuuna admitted with a calm smile, taking aback the two older girls that watched over her.

"Y-You—you know?" Katana repeated in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. "Then why…" she trailed off, confusion entering her tone as she narrowed her eyes, "why are you still so eager to marry the Kazekage if you know that he's in a relationship with somebody else? I mean, pardon me when I say this, Yuuna-sama, but…haven't you considered the fact that…they might have really loved each other? That Gaara-sama is happy with another girl?"

With a delicate shrug, Yuuna smiled wryly, peering at Katana through her long lashes. "To put it bluntly…I don't care. At all." She answered and Katana froze, leaving Hinata to anxiously watch them back and forth with growing terror. "I was aware from the start that there was a whore getting in the way of my plans so I bribed some of his counselors to get rid of whoever she was."

"A-Anou, Y-Yuuna-sama—"

"Why shouldn't I, anyway? That slut probably just sucked up to my Gaa-chan and is probably after his money and his power as Kazekage, that wretched gold-digger. She deserves to be—"

"Y-Yuuna-sama."

"What is it, Hina?" Snapped the blonde in irritation, growing sick of the constant interruptions of the timid girl. Soft lavender orbs were pleading and nervous as they darted towards the silent brunette and then back to the irate blonde. "P-Please, Yuuna-sama. D-Don't say t-those kind of t-things about t-the Kazekage's girlfriend. S-She's my f-friend." Thin eyebrows shot up for a quick moment before knitting together deeply, malice entering the girl's expression. "Friend, you say?" Yuuna inquired with a haughty smirk, her forest green eyes narrowing dangerously at the Hyuuga. "Well, you can tell your 'friend' this, Hina. She'd better leave my Gaa-chan alone or I'll—"

"That's enough, Yuuna-sama."

Both the blonde and the indigo-haired girl whirled to face the previously unspeaking girl, tensing once grey eyes flickered up to stare at Yuuna's green ones, Katana's ash-colored orbs icy and intense. She stood up slowly, glaring down at the younger female. "You have no right to say such things about someone you don't even know." The kunoichi drawled out in a monotone, her balled fists shaking slightly by her sides. "What, is this slut your friend too, Kat?" Demanded Yuuna in exasperation, scowling and shooting up from her seat to match Katana's glower with her own stubborn look.

"K-Katana-chan, Y-Yuuna-sama…Please—"

Holding up one hand in midair, Katana stopped Hinata's plea, smiling ruefully even though she never took her glare off the other. "You don't have to get in trouble for my sake, Hinata." She said reassuringly, dropping her arm and her beam to eye the blonde girl with unconcealed irritation. "The name's Katana, Yuuna-sama." She corrected bitingly, her patient façade fading away for good. "And no, the Kazekage's girlfriend is not a friend of mine." Snorting and rolling her eyes in a dramatic fashion, pink glistening lips turned down in a snarky sneer as the girl retorted, "Oh yeah? Then why do you keep defending this bitc—"

"I'm the Kazekage's girlfriend."

Stunned silence met the declaration, Hinata's jacket-clad body slightly trembling in alarm. The two other females stared at one another, both their auras menacingly cold and the atmosphere around them scorching with tension. Grimacing with newfound determination, Katana stood rigidly, her glower unflinching towards the latter. "And I won't let you break the two of us apart."

**End Chapter**


	38. Chapter 38 Marriage Proposal

**Author's Note: **It's here~! XD I'm sorry for the wait, guys! I just crammed this chapter in my busy schedule.  
-.-" Aaanyway! I hope you like it and tell me what you think, okay?

**Enjoy and Review! ****:DDD**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 38: Marriage Proposal

Awkward muteness stretched out inside the Hokage's Quarters as the two people inside the room stared at one another, nervousness and uncertainty radiating off the younger of the duo. After another minute or two, honey-colored orbs closed in deliberation, the blonde woman smiling as she asked, "So that's your plan, eh?"

Tsunade's voice rang out amidst the silence that dawned between her and the Kazekage, effectively easing the tension out of the latter's expression. Aquamarine eyes lowered themselves to her desk, feigning interest at the stack of folders that lie there. "Yes." Gaara droned out after what seemed to be a long moment of contemplation, his deep voice quiet and low.

"I know this idea of mine is hasty, but this is the best I can formulate with what little time I had." He admitted, sighing and leaning forward in his seat, placing his elbows down on his knees with his shoulders hunched. Hesitation crossed his features before he shook his head, looking up at Tsunade with a stubborn resolve. "It's not like…I've wanted to take advantage of her title…I didn't want to force this onto her, but she's the only one who can help my village. I just hope she doesn't take it the wrong way."

A sympathetic graced Tsunade's face as she turned to look at the younger Kage in front of her, her golden-rimmed eyes glistening with understanding. "Well, if you're really serious about doing this, then I have no objection at all. I just hope you know well what you're doing. I don't usually like any office-related crap…" The woman trailed off with an overly heavy sigh, shaking her head in mock sadness, "but I'll make an exception for the two of you. Leave the paperwork to me, brat."

"Thank you." Gaara said with a grateful nod, letting out an inaudible breath of relief. His pale hand reached up to brush away the crimson locks that fell on his forehead, the red tattoo peeking slightly from behind the hair strands. The Hokage's gaze softened as she caught the exhaustion lying beneath his orbs, the rings around his eyes seemingly thicker than it was before.

"Relax. She'll understand your actions completely. She's put up with you for how many years now. She's bound to tolerate this one too." A half-hearted grunt answered her, the redhead burying his face on his hands. "I hope so." He muttered in defeat, guilt and shame evident in his tone.

An idea struck Tsunade suddenly and she grinned in mischief before reaching down to open her last desk drawer and pulling out a hidden bottle and two glass shots. "Know what this momentous happening calls for, Kazekage?" She asked him as she silently pulled off the cork that sealed the bottle, pouring the clear liquid down onto the two short glasses.

"No. What?" Gaara inquired with disinterest, merely peeking from behind his fingers and raising a non-existent eyebrow at her.

"Sake." Tsunade answered simply, snickering when she noticed the boy's disapproving grimace. "Live a little, will you? It's not like you'll get wasted with just one mouthful of this stuff." She remarked reassuringly as she handed him the glass shot, raising hers in a silent congratulations before downing it immediately. "Besides, you could use a little alcohol-induced confidence. You look ready to pass out on me right now."

"I'm underage, Hokage-sama."

"You're the Kazekage. That makes some sort of exception to the rule, doesn't it?"

Sighing in resignation once more, Gaara relented, raising the glass to his lips and stopping short of sipping the fluid, "I've already had a word with her father. He took it surprisingly easy." He stated and frowned mildly, his eyes narrowing at his drink, "Actually, he sounded rather thrilled at the thought. Do you have any idea as to why that is?" The redhead asked the blonde woman before him, confusion and curiosity flickering through his sea foam gaze.

With a snort of laughter, Tsunade shook her head at him, her twin pigtails falling back over her shoulders. "As much as we hate to admit it, we are not getting any younger, Kazekage. I assume that since her father seems to be attached to children, there's only one thing he wants from you."

"And what's that?" Gaara questioned, taking the opportunity to drink the bitter-tasting alcohol.

"Hoards of grandkids."

The sake left an acidic burn down the length of his throat as Gaara coughed out the liquid in shock, his eyes watering at the scalding sting. "Grandchildren?" he repeated in a rasp when his hacking fit died down, lightly applying pressure to his neck and swallowing.

"It's a little too early for that, don't you think?" He remarked hoarsely, mortification etched on his face as he considered the thought. "I suppose." Tsunade mused after a whole-hearted chuckle, earning an embarrassed glare from the redhead. "Oh, please." She snorted, taking a huge swig of sake directly from the bottle, "Don't tell me you haven't considered it? After all, she's one hot babe—"

"Stop it." Gaara snapped in a warning tone, setting the glass shot down on the desk and glaring at the amused woman. He fought down the heat that took over his pale face, telltale redness reaching down to his neck already. "I will not tolerate you describing her in such a crude manner."Throwing her hands up in front in surrender, Tsunade gave one last smirk before saying, "Fine, fine. Have it your way then." The Kazekage let out a sigh and turned away to look out of the window, his thoughts drifting away to a certain brunette when a thoughtful hum suddenly escaped Tsunade, earning his attention again. "What is it?"

"I forgot to tell you that Katana's on a mission right now with Hinata. You won't be seeing her until 5'o clock."

The Kazekage shook his head dismissively, waving away the concern in the older woman's voice. "That's alright. I'll just wait for her. Is she out of the village right now?"

"No. She's in Konoha, touring Iwahashi Yuuna around."

Gaara froze in his seat at the mention of the name, his breath hitching in his throat and his heart stopping dead in its tracks. With large aquamarine eyes, he stared at Tsunade, shock written well in his normally stoic expression. "Yuuna…" Without a warning, he stood up abruptly, causing the blonde woman to lean back on her chair in reflex. Anger and panic replaced his surprise as Gaara glared accusingly at the Hokage, deep lines carved in between his non-existent eyebrows. "You assigned her with Yuuna?" He repeated incredulously, leaning down on Tsunade and grabbing hold of the edge of the wooden desk. "Why on earth would you do that?"

Disbelief passed quickly into Tsunade's face before she glowered at the Kazekage in offense, pushing back her chair at standing up to meet him eye to eye. "Yes, I did." She said as a matter-of-factly, spitting out the words in infuriation at the younger leader's sudden mood swing. "Why? Got a problem with how I do my job, Kazekage-sama?" She growled out frustratingly, the intensity of her glare rivaling Gaara's defiantly.

The two narrowed their eyes at one another, both pigheadedly refusing to back down. "Do you know how stupid that decision is?" Gaara seethed under his breath as he tightening his death grip on the table, the wood creaking in protest of the merciless treatment.

"Are you calling me a fool, brat?" Tsunade roared as she reached out and yanked a handful of his red vest, fisting his collar angrily. "Go ahead. I dare you to say it once again and risk getting thrown back to Suna in no time." The blonde challenged, angry veins appearing on her smooth hands. Sea foam eyes bore into her golden orbs without fear, one of the redhead's hands coiling around her wrist.

"Try me, foolish woman." Gaara stated in a monotone, remaining passive despite the fact that the grip on his clothes stiffened alarmingly. "Katana doesn't know the real reason why the Daimyo and his daughter have come here. And yet, because of your doing, I now have to worry about the possibility of her discover—"

A sudden explosion outside disrupted the heated argument and both Kages jerked their heads to the direction of the glass window, Tsunade's rage diminishing into worry when she caught sight of smoke and dust rising from one of the buildings.

Panic screams of civilians rang in her ears, distracting her from her stupefaction. "What the hell was that?" She exclaimed, her hand falling from Gaara's collar and her attention turning to the redhead. Eyeing the grimace on the boy's face cautiously, she watched as he nodded once, immediately whirling back and reaching for the door. "Let's go, Hokage-sama."

With a jerky down motion of her head, she frowned, following right behind him. "Hai."

* * *

"I'm the Kazekage's girlfriend…And I won't let you break the two of us apart."

The thick haze of intense fury and disbelief surrounded Yuuna as the words slipped out of the older girl's mouth, frustrated tears springing up in the corners of her eyes. "Y-You…" she choked out as delicate palms coiled into shaky fists by her sides, her hands disappearing underneath her kimono sleeves. A disgruntled sigh escaped Katana as regarded the fuming girl and she closed her eyes; brushed back her hair with her mouth set in a firm frown.

"Look", she ground out slowly, her own hands clenching and unclenching in an attempt to release some of the pent-up irritation. "I know that this is unprofessional, me confronting you about such personal things—especially since you're the Wind daimyo's daughter."

Taking a deep breath, Katana faced Yuuna again, her eyebrows furrowed deeply as she spoke. "I don't normally let my feelings get in the way of the mission, Yuuna-sama, nor am I bothered by the fact that you've called me almost every insult you can think of and degraded my whole dignity with your words. But…" The kunoichi trailed off, grimacing as the earlier statement of the blonde echoed in her mind. _That's why I was so happy when Otou-sama agreed to arrange this marriage for us…_

"But I can't just let you take away a person I love right before my very eyes. It's too hard—I-I can't…accept that." Grey eyes looked up to meet venomous green, the latter glaring at her with hate coursing through every fiber of her being. "…So I'm sorry, Yuuna-sama, Hinata", glancing apologetically at the Hyuuga, she bowed slightly at the indigo-haired girl and faced the blonde again, "but I'm abandoning this mission. Please excuse me."

Turning away, Katana held her head high and walked out of the shop calmly, ignoring the curious stares of the other customers. Pushing up the flaps that hung on the entrance, she halted in her tracks and narrowed her eyes at the twelve guards that blocked her path, their massive bodies creating a semi-circle around her. "Move away." She stated dryly, stubbornly jutting out her chin to look up at their faces. The middle guard let out a snort as he crossed his beefy arms across his broad chest, black beady eyes fixing themselves at Katana.

"No." He answered gruffly, earning amused snickers from his comrades. "You, together with that other girl, were supposed to be the princess's tour guides."

"Not anymore." Was the stiff reply of the brunette, impatience flashing through her gaze. "Step aside. I have better things to do than to explain myself to you. Now please…move awa—"

"Guards!"

The shrill, almost frantic-sounding call cut through their conversation and in confusion, Katana knitted her eyebrows together and turned back towards the shop. Cold dread crept up her spine the minute she laid eyes on Yuuna's furiously red face, a clear sign that she was about to throw a childish tantrum again. "Kill her!" The command barely had any time to be registered properly in her brain as she dove out of the way, the burly guard that had planned to jump on her crashing against the fragile wooden wall of the dango shop and creating a crater-sized hole in it.

"Shit!" she swore out loud in incredulity as she ducked a punch from one of the men, the sound of shattering glass windows and frightened screams of customers ringing loudly inside her ears. "Stop!"

"Wait, don't!"

"Don't do this!" She called desperately as she evaded another blow, this time gritting her teeth tightly in frustration when she heard another telltale crash from the shop and quickly delivering a roundhouse kick to the head of the persistent guy. He staggered back and sneered in rage, immediately charging once again for the girl. Panic and anxiety stirred inside Katana's gut and unease lodged itself in her throat as she brought her wrath down on one of the muscular goons that had tried to restrain her, her fist colliding swiftly with the man's gut in a chakra-powered punch.

Her assailant doubled over in pain, dropping down to his knees on the ground and groaning helplessly. "Yuuna, what the hell is this? Call them off!" She yelled out in alarm as she knocked out yet another man, horror written well in her expression as she fleetingly glanced at the wreckage of the dango shop. Katana balled her fists angrily, scanning the increasing number of people around them. Finding no sign of their blonde client from over the crowd of people, she snarled in infuriation.

The brunette dropped down in a squat as another guard swung his sword sideways, the long blade nicking her forearm before she could dodge it completely. She swept her leg on the ground below him, taking him off balance and pouncing on the sprawled man with another chakra-enveloped fist. Quickly bringing her hands together while the man was still dazed from the hit, Katana wove seals with expertise, chakra taking the shape of sharp claws on top of her knuckles.

"Dendou Tsume."

Pained screams made her eardrums throb violently as she stabbed the guard's two arms, blood spraying over her face as she rendered him useless for battle. A sudden sword flick took Katana by surprise and earned her a shallow cut on her calf, crimson liquid oozing out of the wound.

Wincing as she felt the sting of the wound, Katana vanished from his line of sight in an instant and reappeared from behind him silently, striking the guy's nape with a harsh blow and exhaling a short breath of relief when he fell unconscious. "Juken!" The sudden cry called her attention and she whirled around in search of her partner, worry scribbled all over her face. "Hinata!"

A stuttering squeak sounded from her left; she turned and watched the Hyuuga closely with alarm, her distress leaving her immediately when she saw her teammate handling one of the men with ease. "I-I'm here!" Came the sure answer of Hinata as she fought with grace, her deadly movements seeming so harmless and beautiful from afar. "Don't worry about me, Katana-chan!" Hinata said as she sent the guards collapsing one by one onto the dirt, her Byakugan activated and her hands traveling in an amazing speed.

A sharp rush of cold air blew across her back and Katana stiffened, her eyes widening. "I've got you now, girl!" Roared a brawny guard behind her, his sword raised over his head and ready to be brought down. The kunoichi dodged the blade narrowly before it hit the spot inches away from where she previously stood before and Katana grunted in ire, her glare alone ripping the man into shreds if only looks could kill.

She charged head-on for him, ducking when a meaty fist came flying towards her direction and bringing her knee up in a fluid motion, ramming it against the man's groin without mercy. A choked gasp escaped the guard's slacked jaw, his face scrunched up in indescribable agony. Gradually, he sunk down on the ground with his body quivering in pain, a broken groan coming out of his throat. "Asshole." Katana spat as she delivered another kick to his thick skull, knocking him out cold.

The brunette straightened up as her gaze left the last guard to skim through her surroundings, her stomach somersaulting with guilt when she saw the ruins of the dango shop. Smoke and dust rose up in the air, the sizes of the holes on the wall ranging from the size of a fist to the size of a boulder. The owner stood by the side, along with the other bystanders and passers-by that witnessed the whole scene, evident horror etched on his face as he stared dumbly at his destroyed shop.

Grey eyes lowered in shame before they caught sight of a red and gold-colored kimono, right then narrowing furiously instead. In swift strides, Katana closed the distance between them and seized a fistful of the girl's silk kimono aggressively, ignoring the small yelp of protest that came from the blonde and the way the delicate material wrinkled under her grip.

"You brat." She hissed in rage, flinching slightly when the sound of low murmurs and hasty whispers of 'quick, get the Hokage' circulated around the crowd. Her grey eyes flickered back to the girl in her grasp and her glare intensified tenfold, her temper at the brink of exploding. "Listen well, Yuuna-_sama_." She seethed sarcastically, tightening her hold on the girl's clothes.

"Just because you're the daimyo's daughter, it doesn't give you the right to order your underlings to wreck havoc in our village. Do you have any idea as to how much peril you've brought upon the villagers because of your stupidity? How much immature can you get? What if people were hurt?"

A sharp slap across her cheek sent her neck to twist roughly to the side, the stinging sensation languidly following after. Shocked gasps erupted from the nosy crowd of people, the villagers exchanging nervous whispers from one to another. "How dare you call me immature! Get your filthy hands of me, chuunin!" Yuuna exclaimed irately, her green eyes ablaze with fury.

Smaller hands pried off the other two that gripped her kimono, the blonde inching away from the older girl. "Someone as low as you are doesn't deserve to be with someone like my Gaa-chan!" She spat, narrowing her eyes at the brunette in an attempt to look defiant. Katana froze in her place as the offended part of her cheek throbbed in pain, the thin patience and self-control that she held on to snapping apart for good.

"Shut up."

Without a warning, a swift hand delved down and unsheathed the blade that lay unused by her side, the sword's narrow metal glinting in the sunlight. She roughly shoved down the self-centered girl, her mind completely ridding any guilt it contained for abandoning the mission. The high-pitched cry of protest followed by the sequence of colorful words and insults only enraged the livid brunette further and Katana knelt down in a rapid movement, pressing the cool metal against the princess's pale neck. The murmuring of the crowd died down into silence, their eyes wide with disbelief and alarm as they fixed their gazes on the usually composed kunoichi.

Yuuna halted her complaints instantly, fear entering her eyes once she felt the icy touch of the sword caress her throat. Frightened tears welled up at the corner of her large green eyes, spilling down her cheeks one by one as she stared back at Katana's narrow grey orbs with panic. "You have no right…to tell me what I deserve." Katana hissed under her breath, glowering death at the trembling girl that was sprawled on the ground beneath her.

Anger made her blood boil, any shame she felt for acting on instinct evaporating on the spot. "You don't know anything about Gaara and you most certainly don't know anything about me…You don't know what we've been through or how painful it has been for both of us since we were children." She said, pushing the blade of her sword more firmly on Yuuna's skin and earning a scared whimper from the blonde.

Grey eyes glistened with unshed tears of silent agony as Katana gritted her teeth, glaring down grudgingly at Yuuna. "You had a normal childhood. You have everything a person could ask for. Expensive clothes, wealth, fame…a whole family…Is all that not enough for you? Do you want other people's happiness to be yours as well? What more could you possibly want, brat?" Katana roared in anger as she fought back the tears hat threatened to escape the confines of her eyelids, pain searing through her heart. "G-Gaara…he's—He's the only thing that keeps me from giving up…So why? Why do you people keep trying to take away the little happiness we have? You spoiled little—"

"Don't."

The deep voice cut through her mind and the kunoichi halted in her sentence, her muscles stiffening and her eyes widening in shock. The glare she fixed on the girl vanished, disbelief replacing the anger in her eyes. She whirled back, a lump lodging in her throat when her gaze fell on a certain worried-looking redhead. "Gaara." Sand coiled around the arm that held her weapon, squeezing lightly in a warning.

"Drop the sword, Katana." The stoic Kage said cautiously, his expression easing visibly when Katana's grasp on the blade loosened. By his side, Tsunade skidded into a halt, the woman's eyes widening irately as she scanned the scene before her. "Who did this?" she demanded furiously, veins in her forehead popping out in rage. She jerked her head to the side, her gaze narrowing at Hinata.

"Hyuuga Hinata!"

The poor girl stumbled back down on the dirt in shock, her lavender eyes blinking rapidly in fear. "H-Hokage-sama?" The girl inquired weakly as she pushed herself up on her feet, her arms in front of her body defensively. "Who did this, Hinata?" Asked Tsunade once more as she approached the dark-haired female, her livid strides rapidly closing the gap between them. Trembling with nervousness, Hinata swallowed hard and took a safe step back from the enraged woman wisely, blinking twice before stammering feebly, "U-Um, a-anou…y-you see, K-Katana-chan, she—Y-Yuuna-sama's guards t-they—and w-well—"

"Spit it out."

"It's my fault, Tsunade-sama." Answered Katana from her place as she gave the girl beneath her a last glance and startled the two Kages and Hinata, the kunoichi standing up and slowly whirling around to face the Hokage.

Bowing lowly, she clenched her teeth as she fixed her eyes on the ground, "I've…I was reckless, Tsunade-sama. I've let my feelings get in the way of this mission. When I found out that Yuuna-sama here was supposed to be engaged with Kazekage-sama…I…I attacked her. Her bodyguards merely did their job of protecting her from me." Spitefulness seeped in her tone as she sounded out the painful lie in order to maintain the harmonious relationship between Suna and Konoha, her throat constricting tightly against her will. "So please…forgive me."

Amazed silence was the only response she got from the trio as she remained in her bow, her chest erratically heaving up and down as she released a ragged breath. Finally, Tsunade's voice broke the quietness, her tone stern and deceivingly calm. "Very well, I'll have to talk to you inside my office later, Hatake Katana." Outraged murmurs and scandalized whispers echoed from the crowd of people, numerous statements of 'that's not true at all!' and 'she's innocent!' passing around the villagers. Her heart wrenching inside her ribcage, she hid a grateful smile at the people's support, swallowing as she answered back, "Hai, Tsunade-sama."

From the ground behind her, the blonde princess remained sprawled on the dirt, her green eyes wide with incredulity as she stared at Katana's back. Her gaze shifted towards the redhead from afar and immediately, her shock morphed into feigned sadness.

"G-Gaa-chan…" Yuuna whimpered through the tears, sniffing in exaggerated fear. Pushing Katana off to the side, she scrambled to her feet and gathered her kimono in her hands, running towards the Kazekage and flinging her arms around him, causing Gaara to stagger back slightly.

"Waahh! Gaa-chan! T-That girl over t-there threatened t-to kill me!"

The sight of the girl hugging Gaara as she bawled her 'traumatizing' experience to him was enough to bring back the livid frown in Katana's face, pain stabbing her heart the more she stared at the sickly sweet image of them. "G-Gaara…" She breathed out, her hand reaching up to gesture at him but dropped back down by her side immediately when she met his eyes, disappointment flashing through them. Her heart clenching painfully, she swallowed back the lump in her throat and kept staring at him, hoping that he would understand the silent apology she was trying to convey.

Aquamarine orbs lowered before averting their gaze on her, shifting down on the girl hugging his torso. "Yuuna, come on. I'll escort you back to your father." The silent statement reached Katana's ears faintly and her remaining hope inside crumbled away, realization of what Gaara's clear decision was hitting her like a punch in the gut.

Clicking her tongue against her teeth sharply as she got to her tired feet, she sheathed her sword, wiping blood away from the corner of her mouth and storming away angrily. Hinata and Tsunade's call of her name fell on deaf ears as she kept on striding away further, her heavy footsteps increasing in speed as she felt wetness sting her eyes. _So this is how it'll be, after all…_

* * *

Audible cracks and thumps echoed all over the grassy expanse as the girl in the middle delivered violent hits mercilessly to the wooden post that stood erect on the ground. Sweat drenched her face as she clenched her jaw together in unconcealed grief, her feet numb from repeatedly smacking the pillar. With heavy breath, she inwardly counted.

_480…_

_481…_

_482…_

_483…_

Bloodshot and half-lidded grey eyes were dull and blank as they stared at the chipped wooden post, narrowing absentmindedly as bandaged feet hit it again and again. Her face was fixed in a tight grimace, her orbs flaring with unconscious dismay and hurt. _484…485…486…487…_Whispered Katana mentally, beads of sweat trailing down the sides of her face.

Dark clouds rolled around above her as she kept on kicking the post, the cool breeze that blew by sending goose bumps down her limbs. The brunette stopped in the middle of her 490th kick, her right foot dropping down as she balled her fists in agony. _After standing up for him, he…he chooses her over me? _

Hissing under her breath, she closed her eyes and fought back the tears of frustration and pain, stubbornly willing herself not to cry. Thoughts of what happened earlier came to torture her mind again, Yuuna's words and the sight of the blonde hugging Gaara taunting her endlessly. Beads of moisture seeped through her lashes and trickled down her face, the kunoichi harshly wiping them away in disgust. '

"Fuck this." She spat as she resumed kicking, her movements faster and more brutal compared to earlier. She struck nonstop, ignoring the creaking protests and the flying bits of wood. Harsh snaps sounded whenever her feet would collide with the wooden post, her heart pounding in an agonizing pace inside her chest. Sweat traveled down from her forehead to her neck and down the length of her arms, leaving a burning trail along her limbs.

_496…_

_497…_

_498…_

_499…_

With one last kick delivered to the abused stake, sharp splinters of wood came flying at every direction, her fifth wooden post finally cracking into two parts. Mouth opening, she swallowed back a gasp, chest heaving forcefully as she collapsed on the ground with a thud, a startled yelp escaping her. Wheezing and panting heavily, a shudder ran through her body, the cold blow of air giving her chills. She could feel her heart thundering rapidly against her ribcage, threatening to burst.

Exhaling dejectedly with her head hanging low, Katana forced herself up in a sitting position. She pulled her knees up, undoing the bandages wrapped on her feet with a pained grunt. The white cloth fell off and revealed angry red bruises, readily turning purple.

Above her, the rumbling of the sky increased in volume and urgency, right after flashes of blinding light from beneath the clouds. The calm breezes turned into harsh gusts of wind, taking with them brown leaves that tumbled along the path. Ignoring the booming sounds from the sky, the brunette focused on releasing chakra from her palm, gently soothing her aching and abused feet.

She sighed as she felt the numbing pain ease out into a mere dull throb, the chakra she applied finally taking effect. She slipped on her sandals, grunting in discomfort when the rough leather brushed against her wounds. Without a warning, a small raindrop fell flat against the back of her hand and she blinked twice, reflexively looking up. Katana froze in her place the minute water droplets hit her forehead, the heavy downpour suddenly raining down on her pathetic form.

The roar of thunder and the rhythmic 'pitter-patter' of rain against the ground soon filled her ears, deafening her from any other noises. Numbness spread out across her chest, a hollow feeling of loneliness creating a black void inside her heart. Lost in the sea of emotions that suddenly overwhelmed her, she tilted her head back and allowed the water to run down the curve of her face, choking back a hitched breath as tears joined in unconsciously.

She sucked in an intake of breath and let it out as a ragged sigh, her tired eyes closing as she concentrated on the unsympathetic drumming of the rain on her face instead. Thought swarmed her mind and passed to and fro fleetingly, a flash of red appearing from behind her closed orbs.

_Gaara…_She thought as she clenched her teeth in an unsuspecting squeeze of her heart, a pain too agonizing to describe coursing through her system.

_Just what am I really to you? Am I…Am I actually worth something—or have I just been a consolation prize all this time?_

The crash of thunder echoed loudly inside her head and she swallowed back a sob, tears mixing themselves with the droplets of rain that traveled down her body. Lightning struck dangerously overhead but the girl could hardly care anymore, exhaustion gluing her in her place and the freezing cold making her drenched body shiver.

_Why does it always have to be this way?_

A sharp sensation of iciness shot through her and she jerked violently, arms instantly wrapping around her legs as she hugged her knees against her body to warm herself._ Why is it that every time we're finally together, something comes by… and breaks us apart for good again? Before it was Shukaku, then came Kazumi...we've learned overcome those problems but now…I'm not so sure…if I can keep fighting for you, especially since it seems like you've already decided to let me go. _

_So why…? Why, Gaara? _

_Why is life so damn unfair to us?_

A frustrated sigh escaped the confines of her mouth, her breath coming out as a fog in the cold atmosphere. Brushing back the wet locks that clung to the side of her face, Katana half-opened her tired grey orbs, looking up at the pitch black sky.

_But I guess…_

Darkness took over most of her surroundings, and the only things that were left emitting light were the near-by lamp posts that flickered on and off.

_…It's better this way. Maybe you're better off with somebody like Yuuna…than with somebody like me who only brings you trouble and endless problems…_

The forceful rain had subsided into mere drizzles, leaving Katana's aching and cold body craving for any source of warmth.

_I just hope you know…_

…_That I really love you._

Swallowing and grimacing when her throat proved to be too dry to be comfortable, she pushed herself up on her black-and-blue feet shakily, wincing when they stung in protest at the weight brought down on them. Staggering helplessly, she made her way out of the training grounds in a matter of minutes, all the while gritting her teeth to keep in the pained groan that threatened to tear out of her mouth. She glanced sideways, looking at the lined-up broken posts with an unknown and definitely uncomfortable feeling stirring inside of her. With a soft sigh, she turned to face front again, shaking off the melancholic thoughts as she began her long way back home.

"Katana."

The breathless call made her pulsing feet stop dead in their tracks, her heart and breath dying down in shock as well. The voice was well-familiarized with her ears, from the months of constantly whispering words of endearment to her. It was deep but not rumbling, smooth and velvety, giving her goose bumps every time she hears it. Wide eyes watered as they immediately recognized its owner, the searing pain stabbing her thoroughly battered heart even more.

"…Kazekage-sama." She greeted hoarsely, disbelief still laced with her angry tone as she remained frozen in her place. "Is something wrong?" She inquired stiffly, her heart dropping low when she realized that she would have to go back into calling him by his title; there was no sense in addressing him as Gaara anymore anyway.

"Don't call me that." The redhead behind her stated with underlying dejection, an aggravated sigh ripping from his throat. The brunette flinched away at the sound, dread filling her inside when she heard heavy footsteps approach hastily. Even before she could step away, a large hand seized her wrist securely and whirled her around— in such a gentle manner still, that Katana wouldn't have took him to be angry if not for the livid glint in his aquamarine eyes, his thin lips down in a permanent-looking scowl.

Instantly, Katana averted her eyes down on the damp cement road, refusing to let him see the tears welling up in her eyes. "What is it?" She asked him, her arm dangling loosely from his grip and her tone exhausted.

"Why did you leave?" His monotone voice droned out, without a doubt, his dark-ringed orbs narrowing in sync. "I've been searching for you almost everywhere." Hearing his worried statement, Katana roughly pulled her hand out of his grasp, rage simmering inside her. She grimaced grudgingly and balled her fists, her eyebrows knitted deeply. "Why would you go and look for me?" She retorted sharply, resisting the urge to look up at him and confirm in his eyes if he was really lying.

"I was worried. You didn't—"

Her mocking scoff erupted loudly from between them, the brunette shaking her head in a mixture of fury and pained amusement. "Worried." She repeated in a disgusted tone, unable to keep herself from sneaking a glance at his pale face. "Right." She said bitingly, closing her eyes when she felt tears threatening to spill out again.

Inhaling shakily, she released it as a hiss, her teeth clenched tightly together. "Look", she began, hating the way her voice trembled desolately. "I'm not in the mood to talk to you about anything. Frankly, I just don't want to see you right now. So please…" She seethed, the moisture inside her eyes burning and stinging insistently. "…Just leave me alone."

"Why are you acting this way?" Gaara voiced out, with so much confusion that it added fuel to the girl's flaring temper even more. Grey eyes snapped open, irritation and agony burning in them as the tears that she kept back finally fell free. "I have every right to act this way!" She yelled defensively, her gaze drilling into his furiously through the tears. "Why the hell are you asking such things? Stop pretending like you have no damn idea of what you just did!"

"I don't _know _what you're talking about." Shot back the Kazekage stonily, further enraging the already irate female.

"Dammit, Gaara!" Katana screeched in frustration as she threw her arms up, her hands clenching and unclenching her hair. Taking in a calming breath and realizing that it doesn't help at all, she gestured accusingly at him, glowering. "It's you, okay? The problem is you! The problem is the fact that you've already decided and you decided to pick Yuuna over me! You've decided to choose your village over me! I've said it! Now are you satisfied?"

Choking back a desperate sob as tears kept trickling down her cheeks non-stop, her voice died down, all the screaming she did left her throat scratchy and aching. Shakily, she brushed back her damp hair, hiccupping slightly as she brushed away the wetness from her face, leaving red tearstain in their place.

Realization of what she said dawned to her mind and she bit back a groan of misery, shame taking its place over her expression. "Go ahead." Katana rasped out, sighing heavily. "Go ahead and call me immature. Call me weak, foolish, unreliable. Call me a disgrace because I've once again let my 'feelings' go in the way of responsibility…tell me I don't deserve the title of a kunoichi."

Silence answered her and instinctively, the girl turned to the redhead, taking in his wide-eyed stare and dumbfounded expression. She snorted ruefully, shaking her head in a slow manner and turning her back on him. "Still acting innocent, Gaara?" She called out sadly, disappointed by the fact that it was probably the last time that they would ever see each other again and it simply had to end up this way as well. "Have it your way then. I'm going home."'

Before she could even do so much as to walk away, grain-like particles formed a solid, calloused hand and wrapped around her wrist again, firmer this time, and held her in place. Stopping once more, Katana swallowed the heavy lump in her throat that blocked her airway, sighing out of pure exhaustion. "Listen to me." She heard him say and she shook her head stubbornly, frowning. "Gaara…" she trailed off, tugging her hand back from the sand and failing, "Please don't make it harder for us to let go…It's alright. I understand."

"Listen." Gaara insisted again, quiet scuffling of footsteps indicating that he closed the gap between them. Warmth radiated off his body and into hers, her frown deepening when she felt the need to inch closer to him like she always did before. "You have to do this for your village. I know that. I'm not going to force you to—"

"I'm not marrying Yuuna."

Disbelief flickered in her dejected grey orbs when the sentence rang in her ears and reflexively, she turned around again, tentatively meeting his sea foam eyes. Now that her rage had been extinguished, she could see a little bit clearer now and promptly noticed the way his wild crimson locks stuck on his forehead, soaked and tamed by the heavy shower.

His clothes were dripping, clinging onto his lean body like another layer of skin. Multiple red scratches were etched on his pale face, a darkening bruise painted on his left cheek. Even though she was disturbed by the numerous injuries, the shock that she had from hearing his statement still overcame her concern for his well-being.

"You're not…marrying her?" She repeated incredulously, relief filling her system until a thought rose up in the surface of her mind again. Worry immediately crushed her temporary happiness and instead of a smile, Katana's mouth turned down in a grimace, her eyebrows furrowing. "What about your village, Gaara?" She murmured to him, lowering her gaze. "…I don't want you to sacrifice your village because of—"

"You're the only one who can save Suna."

"I…I can't, Gaara. You know that. I'm just a chuunin." She said, her chest tightening as she used the counselor's words. "What can I possibly give Suna?" The soaked redhead leaned down and pressed his finger against her lips, silencing her. For a moment, no one spoke, their eyes speaking for themselves as they stared at one another. Finally, Gaara's mouth opened, his deep voice breaking the tense silence between them. "An alliance between Sunagakure and Kumogakure." He answered in a faint whisper, the finger on her lips trailing away to the side to caress her tearstained cheek. "You're the Raikage's daughter, after all…I hope you didn't let other people tell you otherwise."

"B-But, I—"

This time, it was his mouth that interrupted her from speaking, thin lips crushing hers in a gentle kiss. Lips moved together in sync as their bodies pressed flush against each other, their holds on one another shaky and unwilling to let go. What remained of Katana's stubborn streak faded away completely as she allowed herself to cling to him, relishing the warmth she'd been deprived of. The gentle sprinkle of rain had finally stopped, leaving the two under the glow of the moon and the teasing twinkle of stars.

Breaking the sweet contact reluctantly, Gaara rested his forehead on hers, his half-lidded aquamarine eyes fixing themselves on her grey ones. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he slid his arms around her waist, whispering lowly, "I've…I've been meaning to tell you something…" he murmured under his breath, his voice so faint that it was hard for Katana to make out the words even with their close distance.

Eyeing him with curiosity and bewilderment, the brunette blinked twice before leaning in close, tentatively offering a smile of encouragement. "Well…What is it then?" She inquired, staring at him with bewilderment.

The redhead pulled away from her and swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and back down with the motion as he averted his gaze to the side. "I've—I've never wanted you to find it out this way. And I'm sorry that—that you thought I chose Yuuna over you…" He trailed off, feeling lost for words all of a sudden. The brunette in front softened her gaze at him involuntarily, beaming lopsidedly in reassurance. "Hey, it's alright, Gaara. You don't have to worry about that—"

"But I would never do something like that…I couldn't have done it. Because somehow I feel…really weak…without you by my side. You..." Gaara said, blinking rapidly and taking a sharp breath to calm his tense nerves. "You gave me love." He stated and took a sharp intake of breath, feeling his stomach somersault uneasily at the blunt confession. "That by itself…should be more valuable than any material wealth." He peered at her through his red bangs, nervousness and hesitancy clear in his eyes. Katana's heart skipped a beat as her mind registered his words, feeling excitement slowly build up inside her for an unknown reason.

"I guess what I have been trying to say is…" Brushing away the bangs that covered his 'ai' tattoo, the Kazekage mustered a stoic façade, all his emotions reflecting in his eyes instead. "…Marry me, Katana." Gaara said in a monotone, pinning his expectant gaze on her expression and studying it closely.

Tense silence stretched on between the two of them as grey eyes widened and pink lips fell agape in shock, the question sounding unreal to Katana's ears. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, realization crossed her dazed mind as a violent blush took over her face, her eyes blinking rapidly.

With a suppressed smile taking over her features, she ran a clammy hand over her hair, brushing it back as she took a shaky breath. Her aching feet took deliberate steps forward, reclaiming the proximity that Gaara took away when he moved back. She could see his anxiety decrease as she neared, his lips forming a faint beam of happiness as hers developed into a full-blown grin.

"Yes."'

**End Chapter**


	39. Chapter 39-1 The Night before War

**I'm alive! Muahahahaha!** ***cough***

**I am back, people! And I am so, so, sorry for making you wait so long. (bows before thy awesomeness) My last four months had been bombarded with endless projects, tests and finals. Not to mention brain-damaging writer's block, ne? Anyway, ENOUGH RANTING! :D**

**Read and Review~!**

**P.S. I cut chapter 39 into two parts because it was too long. ^^" 39.1 and 39.2 have the same plots.**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 39: The Night before War

War.

No amount of preparation could have readied them for this.

Blood was splattering everywhere. Desperate screams ripped out of their throats. Adrenaline was the only thing left to fuel their wounded bodies. Instincts and negative emotions were taking over their minds, clouding over their hearts.

This was it. This was the very definition of war.

Panicked yells and enraged shouts filled the area, joining the shrill clashing of swords and the whizzing of kunai through the air. The girl's comrades were dying one by one, their bodies sprawled lifelessly on the ground and their clothes soaked red. Pained screams echoed all over the place and she winced at the sting it caused, her bloodstained hands automatically fending off the dark figures as they pounced on her.

Katana fought viciously, her sword slicing through her enemies without a second thought. Crimson liquid sprayed out of their slit throats, painting the girl's dirt-coated face with blood. Grey eyes were wild and crazed as they darted around her surroundings, her body tense and rigid in a defensive stance, her breathing shallow and her heart running miles. She could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins, sweat pouring out and mixing with the dirt in the air. The figures attacked head-on once more, their claws slightly curved as if ready to shred her piece by piece.

The shadow-like silhouettes emitted screeching noises, the noise intensifying the pounding of her head due to all the adrenaline rushing towards it. Bone-chilling shrieks echoed inside her ears, threatening to burst them open. "Stop it…" She hissed, retracting as one hand clutched her throbbing head, her fingers burying through her hair as blunt nails dug deep into her scalp.

"Dammit, stop!" With one swift and hasty flick of her wrist, the shadows were reduced into nothing but bleeding, writhing and soon-to-be corpses. Pools of blood were everywhere—making her see nothing but red—, along with impaled bodies of shinobi and discarded weapons.

"Katana…"

In a swift motion, the brunette whirled around, her expression horror-stricken and livid as she whipped out her sword defensively. "Get away from me—" Grey eyes were wide as they fixed themselves on the newcomer, Katana's breath hitching inside her constricting throat. With a metallic clank, her bloody sword slipped out of her loose grip and fell to the ground, her shock too great for her to notice her discarded weapon.

_N-No…No, no, this can't be true…_

Hysteria flashed through her eyes as she took a step back to balance herself, her knees shaky and unstable from the shock.

"G-Gaa…ra…"

Color drained away from her face as her gaze traveled from the Kazekage's bleeding eye to the crimson stains on the corner of his gasping mouth, both his sleeves torn and one of his arms missing. "K-Katana…" The redhead murmured once more in his rough tone, his voice sounding weaker than it used to be. He took a fragile step forward before crumpling down on the dirt, his body falling like a limp sack.

With her heart roaring inside her chest and her mind drowning in horrid thoughts, Katana sprinted over to where the man laid, blood pounding anxiously inside her head. "Hang in there, Gaara!" She ran with all she had but could never seem to reach him, the distance between them even increasing as the seconds passed by. Shadows and darkness were slowly catching up to the girl's running figure, the claws of death soon swiping at her ankles. Katana tripped, her body crashing down on the ground, the sharp jagged rocks cutting her side.

Almost instantly, the claws shot up from every direction, latching on to Katana as the woeful moans increased in volume. They begged, screamed, pleaded and groaned, agonized sobbing mixing with sadistic laughter and ringing so painfully inside Katana's ears.

"Let go of me! I need to save him!" The kunoichi snarled hysterically, panic and anger lacing her voice, her feet kicking away from their grips and pigheadedly scrambling back up. Gradually, the light in her surroundings dimmed, the claws enveloping Gaara's silhouette tauntingly, their hands grazing his porcelain skin, puncturing it and drawing out blood.

"Gaara!"

Darkness soon took over her line of sight, the murky fog blocking out all the sources of light. The all too familiar feeling of fear and dread paralyzed her, leaving her legs unstable, buckling traitorously beneath her. Pain coursed through her veins as shadows dug their nails into her flesh and Katana thrashed against their iron holds, her teeth clenched as she stubbornly fought.

The redheaded boy that lay limp on the ground disappeared, along with the grey corpses and the girl was left alone in the dark to listen to the desperate wails and cries of the dying, the shadows tearing her apart limb by limb, bathing in her agony and blood.

* * *

Faint rays of early morning sunlight peeked in through the thick black curtains, providing the inside of the spacious room dim illumination. Monochromatic clothes smelled of laundry detergent, all of them ironed and hung neatly inside the wooden closet. Three books—along with several fat folders containing classified information—were separated from the others staying on the shelf in the living room and were stacked on the bedside table, just beside a small lamp.

From outside, the footsteps that were hastily scuffling here and there along with the occasional orders barked out roughly overpowered the gentle chirping of birds in Konohagakure, silence nowhere to be found in the usually peaceful village.

Silent tapping of feet against the wooden floor sounded inside the dimly lit room as the girl in the dull-colored clothing traveled back and forth across the expanse of the bedroom, her arms full of a variety of weapons, uniforms and other things. Taking a seat on the cold floor just slightly further from where her bed was situated and dumping the things she carried in front of her, her sweater-clad body leaned feebly against the hard wall, her legs crossed.

Bloodshot and sleep-deprived grey orbs stared blankly at the mess before her, hands half-heartedly sorting out her belongings into organized heaps. Although the girl had showered and changed into fresh clothes the minute she entered her room after the assembly, the unhealthy pallor on her skin that she had earned after three consecutive sleepless nights still hadn't gone away. In fact, it was safe to say that she looked even more ghostly with the addition of dark circles under her eyes.

Katana released a heavy sigh, regretting it immediately when her throat itched and a harsh cough escaped, developing into another violent coughing fit; they seem to have a habit of attacking her all of a sudden. As her hacking subsided, Katana massaged her throat lightly using one hand, a permanent-looking grimace etched on her face.

Exhaling downheartedly, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes shut, her eyebrows creasing as the scenes of her nightmare whizzed through her mind. "Damn it…" She hissed lowly, her clammy hands clenching and unclenching. "It was just a dream. Just a dream." She chanted in a weak croak, the strong voice she was used to hearing now raspy and broken because of her sore throat.

To say that the vision that decided to visit her during her sleep had left her edgy was an understatement still. She had woken up screaming, thrashing and kicking on the bed, with her grey eyes wide and traumatized; her legs and arms tangled in sweaty bed sheets.

Even after calming down, the kunoichi made no further attempt to get back to sleep, the nightmare still fresh in her head. Shaking her head, the brunette resumed her earlier work, folding her clothes neatly and stacking them in a towering pile.

Hours passed by like mere seconds as the kunoichi busied herself with preparing all needed things for the departure tomorrow, filling the room with cold silence. Amidst the tranquility, Katana found her thoughts drifting to a certain topic, her hands then stopping in mid-action as a worried frown took over her face.

_I can't understand why I'm feeling this so suddenly but…_, she mused internally, the troubled pinch between her eyebrows digging even deeper as the scene of a bloody battlefield flashed through her mind once more, along with the image of a dead redhead,_ War's not even starting yet and here I am, already having double thoughts._

Katana inwardly scoffed with bitterness, her nails slightly digging on the fabric of her pants in both shame and irritation. _I can't be scared. I shouldn't be scared;_ she inwardly berated herself, the deep, troubled pinch in between her eyebrows appearing.

_I'm a shinobi. Shinobi have no fears. Shinobi have no doubts. The only thing they have is duty. _

Flexing her hands on her lap unconsciously, she felt something cold brush against her finger and she looked down, her murky gaze softening at the object. Raising her hand up into eye level, she scrutinized tiredly the shyly twinkling sphere around her finger, the clear stone attached on top of it gleaming with radiance. _I wonder…_Pondered the brunette wistfully as she dropped her arm back to her side, her thoughts returning back to the present. _I wonder how long this happiness will last this time…_

Three urgent knocks on the front door made Katana jump in alarm, her hand reflexively snatching a kunai from her pile of weapons. "Katana-chan! Are you there?" The person outside called out and the brunette immediately relaxed, recognizing the owner of the familiar voice. Dropping the knife and pushing herself up from her seat with much effort, Katana strode out of her bedroom and towards the door, reaching for the knob and twisting it open calmly.

"Sakura." She acknowledged her pink-haired friend lightly, taking in the way her teammate stared at her a few seconds longer than usual before the girl fidgeted in her spot, her face obviously etched with shock. "K-Katana?"

Sighing and cursing under her breath about her lack of sleep and her shitty appearance, Katana cleared her throat, shaking her head in affirmation. "Yeah, it's me. What is it? Is something wrong? Do you want to come inside?" She offered politely, shifting from her position and opening the door a tad bit wider. "N-no, that's okay." The girl answered quickly, her words stumbling over one another in her haste.

"U-Um, Tsunade-shishou asked me to remind you of the documents you were supposed to deliver today." Nodding cautiously as she tried to make sense out of the words that came out of Sakura's mouth, Katana flashed a tentative smile at the medic, trying to hide all the thoughts that whizzed through her brain. "Oh. Thank you. I'll deliver it right now, then."

Just as she was about to close the door and turn away, a hand shot out to latch on her forearm, halting Katana in her place. "Wait." Sakura croaked out and the brunette craned her head towards the pink-haired kunoichi in surprise, her eyebrows raised up. "…Sakura?" She inquired lowly, her raspy tone turning soft with concern.

Grey eyes fixed themselves at brilliant emerald orbs, Katana's gaze searching for answers inside the latter's nervous glances, all the while trying to hide her own thoughts. The two girls remained in a lock for a moment, before the older of the duo loosened her grip on the brunette's arm, her gaze darting away.

"Sakura—"

"I'm sorry."

Katana froze for a minute, her orbs wide as her mind tried hard to register her friend's statement. As her head wrapped around the idea, her eyebrows furrowed deeply, a concerned frown taking over her already downcast features. "What? Why?"

"I'm sorry", the latter repeated once more as she glanced at Katana's horribly confused expression, a sad smile entering her normally cheerful face, "that I haven't been much of a friend to you these past few weeks…Everything's just been in such a rush." Sakura gave off a dry laugh, her large green eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I…heard from Hinata-chan…that you encountered some trouble with the Wind Daimyo's daughter." She continued slowly, her teeth worrying her lower lip. "I…I also h-heard from Tsunade-sama and Shizune-sempai…that you've been working yourself a little harder lately…and that you were wondering how Naruto was…"

Katana didn't miss the almost choked sob at the end of her sentence nor the way tears threatened to spill at the mention of their blond teammate's name. Her stiff shoulders sagging in sympathy and realization, Katana closed her eyes and bit back a heavy sigh, her arms raising in their own accord and wrapping around Sakura's slightly quivering frame.

Tentatively shifting closer, Katana dropped her chin on top of her friend's head, her hands gently squeezing the girl's arms and allowing her to sob against her shoulder. "So that's what this was all about…" she murmured hoarsely near Sakura's ear, her hands soothingly rubbing the girl's back. "You miss Naruto, don't you?"

"Y-Yes…" Hiccupped Sakura in between sniffs and shaky breaths, tears trailing down freely from the corner of her eyes. "E-Ever s-since Tsunade-sama sent him away…I felt like I've lost him completely…" She whispered weakly, burying her tear-stained face on Katana's black shirt. "And with all these things happening around us…we grew farther and farther apart…I don't want to lose you as well, Katana."

Hearing the girl's last statement made Katana's heart contract painfully, in relief, pain or in both, she didn't know. _This…This is exactly why I can't afford to be afraid. Not right now…not when they're relying on me._ Releasing a dejected exhale, Katana nodded once in comprehension, understanding the feeling completely, "I…I miss him too, Sakura. But you haven't lost us. You never will…because we'll always be here for you." She reassured in a whisper, drawing back and offering the girl a gentle smile.

Relief washed over her when she saw Sakura smile back, the medic-nin wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Yeah. I know…" She answered, sniffling and nodding, the bright twinkle in her eyes returning. "Thank you, Katana. I should probably go now." She said with a sheepish chuckle, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for bothering you."

Beaming tiredly, Katana gave her arm one last squeeze before letting go. "No…you didn't bother me at all. It was nice talking to you, Sakura." Hearing a sharp inhale, a surge of panic crashed into her system again—had she said something insensitive? Did she make Sakura cry for the second time?—and she looked up immediately, surprised when she found a hesitant smile on Sakura's face.

"Um, the g-girls." Sakura stuttered out hastily, as if Katana would disappear before her very eyes if she didn't hurry. Clearing her throat and laughing awkwardly, Sakura corrected herself. "The girls and I are going to have dinner at Barbe-Q later this day. It's just a little get together before the...before we leave for Kumogakure."

Katana's gaze on the pink-haired medic softened reflexively, silent gratitude reflecting off her eyes as she noticed how the latter avoided saying the taboo word 'war'. "If…If you've got time to spare, we'd be happy to have you with us." Sakura finished, her hopeful tone leaving no room for doubt. With a soft chuckle and a nod, Katana smiled, truly meaning the gesture for the first time. "Yeah. I'll go." The sudden squeal that left the girl's mouth as Sakura tackled her inside an excited hug made Katana laugh wholeheartedly, her earlier worries and pessimistic thoughts pushed back into the depths of her mind for later.

* * *

"Why don't you just give in already, Hokage-sama?"

"Give in? Hah! Screw you. I will never give in."

The sound of the Raikage's raucous laughter and a string of colorful words that only the Fifth Hokage could utter broke through Katana's stoic façade as she neared the Hokage Office, her mouth unable to prevent the amused smirk that took over.

Shaking her head and snorting, she took a moment to compose herself and wipe off the last remains of a troubled look in face, her expression then molding into a well-practiced grin. Raising a loose fist, she let it collide carelessly against the smooth wooden surface three times, unsurprised when the two Kages inside didn't cease their noises or stop what they were doing.

For the second time around, she knocked thrice again, making sure to add a little more force this time. "What the—Dammit!" Katana winced inwardly at Tsunade's indignant shriek, a reflex action she had developed from the years of being the blonde woman's subordinate. "I demand a rematch, Raikage! Oi, Raikage!" She heard Tsunade call out, frustration and impatience clear in the older woman's tone. "My, my! Such an amazing temper, Hokage-sama!" The Raikage's voice boomed next, his chuckles deep and soothing to Katana's ears, since his tone was—for once, truly happy.

"Come in!"

The blonde woman's bark was harsh, her irritation unconcealed even from behind the sliding door. Hearing the permission given, Katana straightened up unconsciously and squared her tense shoulders, hand pushing the sliding door of the office with ease. "Hokage-sama, Raikage-sama." She greeted with a bow, the words rolling off her tongue smoothly, just like how it should be.

"Ah, Katana!" Came her father's acknowledgement, the mouth that usually wore a grimace now grinning smugly. "You came late! If you had arrived a little earlier, you would have seen the priceless look on Tsunade-hime's face when I—"

"Raikage, you noisy bastard! She doesn't need to know any of that!" Tsunade snapped in annoyance, cutting off the tanned man in midsentence as she massaged her seemingly aching arm. With a silent grumble and a slight downward pinch of her elegant eyebrows, the Hokage nodded once as regards to the brunette standing on her doorway.

"Katana. I presume that you're here to deliver those documents?"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." The brunette answered with a teasing beam as she took a few steps forward to hand over the folders, her grin widening when the blonde woman snatched the papers off her grip with a warning growl. "Any other errands you want me to run for you, Tsunade-sama?"

"No." The answer came out as a defeated grunt and Katana had been a second too late to bite back a chuckle. The Hokage sent a half-hearted glower at the girl and Katana murmured a silent apology after another snicker, her father's not-so-subtle chuckling in the background proving to be rather infectious. "I guess I'll be taking my leave then, Hokage-sama, Raikage-sama." She bowed before both leaders again, making sure to keep her smile intact as to deter any attention from shifting to the heavy bags under her eyes instead. "Enjoy arm wrestling." Her hand went for the sliding door and she pushed it open with ease, her foot already taking a step outside.

"Wait."

Stopping in her tracks and craning her head back, Katana raised one eyebrow at the blonde woman in inquiry. "Tsunade-sama?" She watched the Hokage flip through documents with a determined frown, gold-rimmed orbs glaring at the papers before her. "Now that I think of it, there is something you can do for me." The blonde woman murmured under her breath, elegant eyebrows creasing in concentration as she scanned through the files. Finally, slender fingers pulled out a folder from the pile, one that was comparatively thinner from the rest. "I want you to give this to the Kazekage." Tsunade said, her face devoid of any mischief as she handed out the document. "And remember to tell him to return it to me before 6."

Warily taking the said document from the Hokage's grip, Katana gazed at Tsunade expectantly, waiting for the impish grin and suggestive comment that had always accompanied her orders whenever Gaara was the highlight of their conversation.

Much to her surprise, instead of the immature snickers that she had braced herself against; Katana found herself staring at a rather quiet Tsunade, the blonde woman resuming her earlier work of flipping through the pages of another file.

"…That's all, Katana." Tsunade added after a while, her eyes flickering to the brunette pointedly. "You can go now." She told the girl slowly, letting just a tiny bit of concern to flash through her gaze. Blinking and clearing her throat as if snapping out of a daze, Katana managed an awkward smile before bowing politely. "Hai, Tsunade-sama." She responded, striding back towards the door and pushing it open. "I'll make sure he gets this."

"Thank you, Katana…_for everything_."

The last statement was said in a voice lower than a whisper—and yet holding so many emotions, barely reaching the girl's ears. It did though, but the girl didn't bother stopping or turning back, her legs already sprinting out of the Office as soon as she closed the door shut behind her, a knowing smile taking over her face.

* * *

_Gaara, you big pain in the ass…_, grumbled the brunette inwardly, fuming as she stomped along the bustling streets of Konoha. _Why can't you just stay in one place?_ She asked wordlessly, unflinchingly accepting the harsh bumps and accidental shoves she received from her fellow shinobi. Noticing two men fast approaching, she sidestepped to get through the burly shinobi that threatened to sandwich her in between as they passed by briskly.

Successfully slipping in between and managing not to get squished, she breathed out a sigh of relief, only to have her whip her head back in front and duck reflexively with lightning speed, several blades promising a very bloody and headless death had she taken a second later to avoid them.

The Kirigakure shinobi that carried the swords in his arms sputtered out hasty apologies in both shame and humiliation, his young face tainted with red. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was kind of spacing out. Shoot, Taichou's gonna kill me! I didn't notice that—I, uh, Sorry!" He tried to bow but the weapons were at risk of falling out of his grasp and so Katana provided him quick reassurance. "It's fine." She told him, a little out of breath from dodging too fast, and gave him the sincerest smile she could muster up. "Just be careful next time."

She left him even before the young man could thank her, her feet itching to get out of the tightly packed crowd. She frowned as she wiped away the sweat building up on her hairline using her free hand, the way her clothes stuck on her like a second skin getting on her nerves.

With a suppressed groan of discomfort, she squeezed through the crowd, ignoring the urge to shrink back when equally sweaty and grimed arms brushed against hers. Her patience wearing thin, the kunoichi gathered chakra at the balls of her feet and leapt up, landing with ease on one of the roofs. Huffing, she ran, allowing chakra to pool around her calves and increase her speed.

Minutes later, she arrived at the training grounds 1, where the shinobi she had inquired said the Kazekage should be. The answer still baffled her, but she shrugged it off easily, keeping her mind blank and unoccupied as she jumped over the low fence around the area. Almost instantly, she felt a strong surge of familiar chakra wash over her as she neared the grassy field, the insistent tapping of feet against wood echoing all over the place.

Curiosity getting better of her, she masked her chakra and made her breath shallow, her footsteps light and silent as she tiptoed on the soft grass. The sharp slapping noises became clearer as she came close, the girl's dark figure blending in well with the shadows as she hid behind the trunk of an old tree. Slowly, she peeked out and her eyes widened, her gaze drinking in the unusual sight.

Loose black pants were slung dangerously low around narrow hips as the young man in the middle of the vast field abused the wooden post with his feet, his naked back sweat-drenched, crimson strands of hair ruffling slightly from the gentle breeze. Toned arms were tucked in and positioned up front for defense, calloused hands balled into fists.

Grey eyes shamelessly traveled down, heat rushing towards the girl's face as she found herself staring at washboard abs. With her heart beating outrageously inside her chest, Katana pulled herself back up and leaned against the bark of the tree she was hiding behind, her face seemingly seconds away from combusting completely.

_Blushing over a shirtless shinobi…Seriously, _Katana berated herself internally, embarrassment scribbled all over her expression, _you're a kunoichi, Katana, not a pathetic genin._ She took a calming breath and let it out slowly, her thundering heart beat lowering into mere drumming as she regained her composure.

With one last deep breath, she stepped out of the darkness and into the light, the sun's sudden brightness causing her to squint. Tentatively, she approached him, her lips quirking up into a faint amused smirk the minute the Kazekage whirled back to face her, his expression clearly taken aback.

"Katana…?"

An electrifying thrill ran down her spine as her name was uttered in that deep velvety voice and Katana could feel her heart running miles once more, her insides reduced to a quivering mush. "Kazekage-sama, I'm surprised to see you here." She greeted as she stopped right in front of him, a part of her silently hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she thought. "I haven't seen you since yesterday morning. You had yourself locked up inside your office all day." She added as a matter-of-factly, sitting down cross-legged on a soft patch of grass.

Blinking twice, Gaara sent her a sheepish look before turning back and reaching for the brown towel draped over the next post, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. "Sorry", he murmured apologetically as he patted away the moisture from his face, his lips turning down in a mild frown, the crease between his eyebrows digging deeper, "The meetings took forever to finish…The paperwork assigned to me doubled in number as well."

"Make that triple then." Interjected Katana lightly, chuckling as she raised the document and waved it around teasingly. "Tsunade-sama asked me to give you this." Aquamarine eyes narrowing in disdain and exhaustion, Gaara sighed before dropping down beside Katana, his legs stretching out before him.

"Sometimes…" He mused silently as soon as he took the document, his hands already opening it wide and flipping through pages, "I really do hate my job." Smirking, the girl rolled her eyes and shook her head, shifting to a new position as she placed her nestled her head comfortably on Gaara's lap, her hair splayed carelessly across his legs. "Aw, you poor baby." She commented flippantly, her grin widening as she noticed his glare from the corner of her eyes.

Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and drawing it out slowly. "Suck it up and work, Kazekage-sama." She added with a smile, chuckling when she heard him grunt. "I'll be right here by your side." With those words escaping her lips, Katana felt his muscles relax, silence taking over them slowly. Soon, only the scratch of pages against each other could be heard, along with even and synchronized breaths that mingled with each other in the air. Wordlessly, gentle fingers traced the outline of the brunette's jaw, the calloused pads of Gaara's hands caressing her face ever so softly.

Grey eyes flickered open, languidly pulling their gaze up at the redhead. The boy gave no indication that he noticed her pointed stare on him, but the small content smile on his normally stony face told Katana otherwise. Her orbs softening unconsciously, she reached up, her hand covering the one that rested on her jaw.

"Gaara…" she began, earning the attention of the Kazekage towering above her. She looked away from his face, fixing her blank stare on the clear horizon instead. "It's your first war as well, isn't it?" There was a moment of silence before the shinobi could answer her, his reply cautious and hesitant-sounding even then. "Yes."

The grip she had on his hand tightened reflexively. "You're not afraid." The words were delivered as a statement, nothing but a silent observation; nonetheless, Gaara answered her as he bent down to press her lips against hers. "No." This time, his response was calm and immediate, his voice without a trace of nervousness. A sharp pang hit Katana squarely in the chest and she pursed her lips, her stormy eyes staring back uncertainly at sea foam. The two regarded each other for a moment, neither one moving or speaking.

Finally, the girl averted her gaze, a humorless snort escaping her. She looked up, forcing a genuine-looking smile to grace her lips. "Of course…" she drawled out, teasingly tapping the bridge of the redhead's nose. "I was stupid enough to think that you of all people would be afraid. I couldn't help but wonder though." Raising a nonexistent eyebrow at the girl, Gaara peered at her with a slight frown, brushing back the strands of brown hair that fell on the kunoichi's face. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Afraid."

A pregnant pause answered him, the girl on his lap looking up innocently, her thoughts well hidden behind the depths of her ash-colored eyes. "What do you think?" She asked him, pushing herself up in a sitting position to meet his gaze. The Kazekage lowered his orbs, shifting his attention to the ground below. "I wouldn't know." He said lowly, his voice sounding worried despite the nonchalant shrug that accompanied his answer.

A pained smile took over Katana's face as she gradually stood up, her stare never leaving his face. "Truth to be told, I'm not so sure either." Clearing her throat to grab his attention, she sighed, "I have to get going. Tsunade-sama would probably want me reporting to her immediately." She told him, her feet already stepping back. "I guess I'll see you later?" She weakly offered, the smile on her face slowly fading away as she further distanced herself from him.

"Wait."

Before she could fully turn her back on him, Gaara stood up as well, his hand reaching out and gently grasping her wrist to stop her in place. "Lunch." The redhead stuttered out hastily, his usually expression scrunched up in hesitancy. "Yes?" Katana asked encouragingly, her stare expectant and hopeful. Coughing lightly and reluctantly loosening his hold on her, Gaara swallowed, reigning control of his voice.

"I'm sorry that I haven't spent much time with you." He said, his hand travelling down to intertwine with hers loosely. "I don't want you to think that paperwork is much more important to me than you are. I want to have lunch with you before you resume work...if that's alright with you."

Eyebrows shot up at the sudden offer and Katana nodded eagerly even before her mind could wrap itself around the idea fully, light shining from inside her previously dull eyes. She squeezed his hand, a warm, grateful smile growing on her face. "I'd like that very much." She replied with a grin, her grasp on his hand tightening securely as she gave him a gentle tug to make him start moving. "I want ramen. Your treat?"

* * *

**It continues at the next page. ;))**


	40. Chapter 39-2 The Night before War (pt2)

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 39: The Night before War (Part 2)

"…You eat fast."

The side comment from the person beside her made her snap her head to the side, her eyebrows raised in incredulity as the girl tried to chew everything inside her mouth. Swallowing the noodles, Katana gave the redhead a glance and smiled sheepishly, her hands fumbling consciously with the chopsticks.

"Hah, sorry." She said with an embarrassed laugh, her face tainted with pink. Seemingly amused, the Kazekage chuckled with mirth, his stare fixed on the brunette. "You don't choke on the noodles?" He asked her with a hint of curiosity and Katana merely beamed in answer and shook her head, her chopsticks pushing yet another string of noodles inside her mouth.

"Nope. Naruto and I would always eat here back then." She proudly explained around a bite of ramen, a faraway smile plastered on her face as she recalled the past times. "We'd have a ramen eating contest and the loser would pay the bill. So I kind of got used to eating this fast…Still, he eats even faster than I do, you know?" Katana said, her smile faltering slightly at the mention of the blonde's name.

"Now that I think about it, I never did win any of our contests…" She muttered with an inaudible puff of breath, something in her chest constricting painfully. "I wonder…if he still remembers any of that now…"

Seeing melancholy flash through her gaze for the nth time that day, Gaara frowned and inwardly cursed, the creases on his forehead deepening. With a feeling of utter helplessness, the boy hesitantly placed his free hand over hers, his thumb tracing random circles on her skin soothingly. "He's fine. I read a narrative report about his training in the hidden island yesterday. Yamato—the jounin-in-charge—said he had improved greatly." He droned out carefully, his attention quickly shifting to the small, lopsided beam on her lips.

"The jounin also included in the report that Naruto misses both you and Sakura-san terribly that he even murmurs your names in his dreams."

The sound of Katana's chuckle made him relax slightly. He watched her shake her head and sigh heavily, her mouth molded into a relieved grin. "That baka." She said as she toyed with her ramen using her chopsticks, her other hand twisting so that it intertwined with his. "He'll never change."

"Yes…He never will."

Squeezing his hand gratefully, Katana flashed the redhead a grateful beam before resuming her eating, this time in a much slower and controlled pace. Silence took its place over them as the two ate in relative peace, their braided hands never letting go.

The busy crowd could be heard bustling from outside the ramen stand, civilians and shinobi passing by behind them, but the young couple could hardly care less. Noises fell on deaf ears that registered only the steady beating of their hearts, grey and aquamarine sneaking glances at one another every now and then, secret smiles sent to each time their gazes connect.

"Here." Gaara told the old man gently as he handed his payment and beside him, Katana stood up, breaking their locked hands in the process. The brunette walked out of the shop calmly and stopped right in front of the entrance, a small beam etched on her face as she waited for the boy.

Seeing him back away from the counter and approach her slowly, she extended a hand towards him, her smile softening when he took it wordlessly. Hands interlaced once more as their feet scuffled along the street, the duo bypassing villagers and shinobi easily.

_This kind of warmth, this feeling of safety… _thought Katana silently, her gaze unfocused on the road ahead, her fingers nonchalantly drumming on the backside of Gaara's hand, _only you could make me feel this secure, Gaara._

Sandals scraped noisily against the cement as they trudged on without a care, both of them too at-eased to even bother silencing their footsteps. Before either of them realized it, they found themselves staring in front of the Hokage Mansion, the sight making their hearts sink. Feeling the redhead beside her stiffen, Katana nudged him gently, offering him a weak smile when he dejectedly glanced down at her.

Seeing misery take over his previously contented expression, Katana sighed and shook her head softly, taking the initiative to resume their pace and tugging the unhappy Kazekage behind her. "Are you free later at dinner?" He asked her out of the blue, his deep voice breaking the silence and startling her.

She turned to look at him and blinked before frowning slightly, a thought dawning into her. "No. Sakura invited me for dinner." She answered as they walked and then paused hesitantly, her teeth worrying her lower lip at the sound of his disappointed sigh. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He reassured her quickly, rich crimson locks swaying as he shook his head. "It's fine. I understand that you have to spend time with your friends as well…"

"But—"

"Ah, Kazekage-sama. So this is why you're missing."

The sudden statement made the two teenagers whirl back with tense bodies, the redhead immediately relaxing after seeing who it was. Beside him, Katana bowed hastily, her head hanging low and her shoulders squared stiffly. "Mizukage-sama." She regarded politely and heard the middle-aged woman chuckle with fondness, her melodic voice offering the brunette much relief. "At ease, kunoichi." The long-haired Kage said in an amused tone, her gaze watching the girl with mirth as she scooped up.

"Mizukage-sama", Gaara began, his unexpressive façade back in place almost immediately, "you were looking for me? Is something the matter?" Mei shook her head calmly, her smile soft and composed. "Nothing's wrong, Gaara-sama. We were just wondering where you've gone." She explained reassuringly to him as one hand tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "There's a meeting that will be held again an hour later this afternoon. Do you remember?" She inquired him distractedly, her gaze shifting back to the girl beside the Kazekage.

Noticing the brunette squirm uncomfortably under the close scrutiny, Mei softened her stare, her mint green orbs flickering to Gaara teasingly afterwards. "So this is the lucky young lady…" She drawled out, chuckling when Katana shrunk back with a violent blush.

"Hai…" Gaara replied tentatively as he glanced at Katana, his hand letting go of hers temporarily and choosing to encircle her waist instead. Pulling her an inch closer, relief washed over his system the minute she relaxed against his sturdier frame, her arm dangling loosely over his hip, "Mizukage-sama, meet my fiancée, Yotsuki Katana. Katana, meet Mei-sama."

Releasing a thoughtful hum, the grin on the woman's face widened, her eyes twinkling with obvious glee. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart." The woman greeted lightheartedly, extending a hand to the younger girl. Grey eyes dropped down to the friendly hand before snapping up to stare boldly at green orbs, a curt smile taking over her features. "The pleasure's all mine, Mizukage-sama."

"Aw", The Mizukage chuckled after dropping the handshake, the sudden change in her tone surprising both of them, "aren't you two just cute?" Blinking as the words registered into his mind, Gaara's poker face twitched for a quick second, mortification visible in his reddening cheeks. "Cute…?" He asked hoarsely, his normally strong voice sounding an octave higher than usual.

Glancing at the redhead in surprise, Katana bit back the chuckle that threatened to escape her as she rubbed his back comfortingly, the blush on her face growing even darker. "Hai, hai!" Mei added cheerfully as if to take away the doubtful edge on his voice, her beam wide and her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You match each other quite well, you know." She stated warmly, cradling her arms together.

"I…That's…W-We uh…Th—"

Preventing the smile that tugged insistently at the corners of her lips at the sound of the flustered and broken stutters, Katana coughed lightly, turning her attention up at the red-faced Kage.

"I think what Kazekage-sama meant to say was…", Katana started, startling Gaara into looking down at her, aquamarine eyes focusing on her grey orbs as if in a trance. Breaking eye contact with the boy momentarily to glance at the Mizukage, the kunoichi beamed at her, "Thank you, Mizukage-sama." She said softly, her gaze on the older woman soft and grateful. "Not all people approve of our relationship. It's good to know someone actually does."

Smiling brightly, the woman placed her hands up, shaking her head. "No need to thank me, sweetheart. I was just telling the tr—"

"Mizukage-sama, Kazekage-sama!"

At the sound of the rough voice laced with irritation, both Kages turned towards the owner of the voice, their expressions seemingly unhappy with the newcomer. "Tsuchikage-sama. What a…pleasure to have you join us here." Gaara acknowledged dryly, a smirk pulling at the sides of his mouth when he saw the teasing grin on the Mizukage's face and heard the brunette beside him bite back a chortle.

"Enough with your sarcasm, brat." The old man snapped in annoyance as he gave off an insulted 'hmph', further encouraging the wicked grin on the redhead's expression to develop. "We have a meeting to attend to and you and the Mizukage are the only ones missing in it! Now hurry! We don't have all day, you know!"

Invisible eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, a displeased frown replacing Gaara's earlier smirk. "Meeting…? Right now? But I thought—"

"Well, you thought wrong, Kazekage-sama." Scowling darkly at the comment, Gaara sent a cold glare towards the small shinobi and the Tsuchikage merely scoffed. "What? You thought you're the only one with the smart aleck remarks?" Grinning infuriatingly, the old man turned his back on the group and began to walk back to the conference room again. "Oh, and", Craning his head back, the Tsuchikage glanced at Katana pointedly, smirking, "that's a fine woman you got there, Kazekage-sama. The Raikage's daughter, eh? Good job." With that said, he rounded a corner and disappeared from their sight.

Sighing with evident tiredness, the Mizukage sent the young couple one last beam before walking away, one of her hands rising up to wave goodbye as she followed the Tsuchikage's tracks. Staring at the empty hallway for a few seconds, Katana bit her lip and cleared her throat, her gaze shifting encouragingly at Gaara. "Hey, you better go join them. I don't think the other Kages would like it if you keep them waiting." She watched him exhale heavily and take in a slow breath, his face once again becoming expressionless.

"Hai." He answered with a sharp nod, the hand on her waist falling as he pulled away slowly. He turned to her, letting just a sliver of concern to flash through his eyes. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah", Katana replied reassuringly, nodding and smiling despite the hollow feeling that crept up inside her chest again, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Pushing herself to stand on her tiptoes, pressed her lips against his in a short kiss, the intimate gesture warming her insides even for just a moment. "I'll see you…tomorrow." The last word made her breath hitch, a heavy lump constricting at the back of her throat. As the feeling of dread and loneliness filled her once more, she turned and jogged away, her heart beating erratically against her chest. _Goodbye…_

* * *

"What?"

The chorus of incredulous reactions made the blonde in the middle grin even wider, with her hands on her hips and her body swaying as they walked along the road. "Uh huh." Ino confirmed with a proud nod and she gave all four a quick glance, one of her hands rising and flicking back her long ponytail. Mouth agape, Sakura shook her head in shock and crossed her arms across her chest, snorting, "No way, Pig."

"Yes waaay, Forehead." The Yamanaka replied again, much to the amusement of the other two. Chuckling as the two infamous friends began to bicker childishly, Tenten scratched the back of her head before turning to the indigo-haired girl walking on her right side.

"So…", she started and hid a smile when the younger kunoichi stifled a giggle at the hilarity of it all, "Ino and Kiba used to be a 'thing', huh?" With a large grin, Tenten shrugged easily, tucking a strand of loose hair on the back of her ear. "Who knew, right?" She asked and nudged the Hyuuga, earning a surprised squeak. "Did you know about that Hinata?"

Innocently blinking with her pearl-like lavender eyes, Hinata shook her head and looked up thoughtfully, placing a finger at her chin. "N- No…I don't recall Kiba-kun s-saying anything about t-that." She told them, the faint blush on her cheeks seemingly gone in the dim surroundings. "D-Demo, t-there used to be a time w-when he always b-blushed w-whenever Ino-chan was around."

"Ah…" Tenten said as the realization dawned into her, her arms swinging rather carelessly as she bounced along the street. "I guess that explains all the awkwardness between them back when we were still genin, ne, Kat—Katana-chan?" The weapon's mistress's light tone dropped in concern the minute she turned back to look at the silent brunette, her eyebrows creasing. "You okay back there?"

The sound of the bun-haired girl's voice snapped Katana off her thoughts and brought her back to reality, her head rushing up and her grey eyes blinking into focus. "Tenten." She regarded feebly, mustering up a faltering beam at both the doe-eyed kunoichi and the Hyuuga heiress beside her. "I'm fine. Just tired I guess." _Tired of all this fuss_, she added mentally, her smile turning stable as she approached them. "This day's been exhausting, ne? But I'm really glad I got to spend time with you guys before we depart for Kumo."

"Hai, I'm glad too." Tenten agreed with a nod, her tone turning soft and mellow at the change in topic. "War, huh…?" She asked them and the two could only nod their heads dubiously, unable to think of anything further to say. Sharply inhaling, Katana dropped her smile, a serene expression taking over her features as she craned her head up, fixing her gaze on the darkening horizon above them.

"Don't worry." Tenten reassured them a little too cheerfully, trying to hide the uncertainty and doubt in her own voice. "I'm sure everything will be fine…we're together in this after all. Right, Hinata-chan?"

"H-Hai…Tenten-chan's right." Hinata timidly added from in between them, her fingers fumbling together in a habitual manner as she pinned her eyes down on the cement road. "We…W-We can't back down now." Instead of relieving her of her burden, the strong stress at the last statement only made Katana's heart weigh down further, her gaze narrowing straight ahead as her lips formed a thin line. "W-We're doing t-this for K-Konoha…for Naruto-kun…" Tentatively peering from underneath her dark bangs, Hinata laid a comforting hand down the latter's stiff shoulder, the Hyuuga tensing nervously when the brunette jerked back in reflex.

"Sorry, Hinata." Katana whispered hoarsely, forcing herself to relax under the girl's touch with much difficulty. "You're right." She told the dark-haired kunoichi, nodding and swallowing heavily, letting herself believe the pathetic excuse for just a while longer. "We're not kids anymore…we shouldn't hide or be protected", she said, her eyes lowered as to avoid glancing at her friends' downcast faces, her tone desperately trying to convince herself as well, "Rather, this time, it's our lives that are on the line for the sake of others."

Craning her head up and flicking her gaze back onto the path ahead, she took the initiative to resume their pace, her insides feeling frozen and hollow as she uttered the next words, "We are shinobi…and shinobi do not know fear." She muttered bitterly, the ugly truth leaving a burning trail down her tongue as it rolled off her mouth.

Hearing the sharp inhales from beside her, the brunette whirled her head to the side, her eyebrows shooting up when she saw all of them, including Ino and Sakura, staring at her with wide eyes, their faces morphed into concerned expressions.

"Katana…" Sakura began after sharing a look with Ino, the pink-haired kunoichi stepped forward to approach her, her hand immediately going up to feel the latter's forehead. "Are you feeling well? You feel warm. Also, you've been pale all day."

"Forehead's right, Katana." Ino piped in worriedly, her arms crossing over her chest in an attempt to look indignant. "Seriously", she said, a crease on her forehead deepening as her lips fell into a frown, "what's bothering you, tough girl? Is this about Gaara?" Green eyes widened with evident concern then, the medic's infamous fists balling angrily. Scowling, Sakura clamped her hands on Katana's shoulders, meeting the girl's gaze intensely. "What did he do now?" She demanded, tone indignant and protective. "Did he hurt you again? Want me to—"

"What? No! I—"

"I-Iie, Sakura-chan. I-It's n-not about K-Kazekage-sama." Hinata supplied hastily, her soft fingers gently prying Sakura's grip off Katana. With a snarl, Sakura dropped her hands and stomped her feet, her glare making Hinata cower down. "Then what is it abou—"

"War, Sakura—"

"_Tenten_." Katana bit out warningly but it was already too late; the damage had been done. Hearing the weapons mistress's answer, both Ino and Sakura froze, their previously outraged expressions melting into dejection and something that closely resembled fear. Seeing her friend's reaction made Katana close her eyes tightly, her hands fisting the fabric of her shorts in frustration.

Tense silence fell upon the group and Katana let out a sigh, her hand brushing back her hair to lessen the pounding in her head. "No, it's nothing, Sakura." Katana dismissed eagerly as she pulled back, hastily trying to wave away the unwanted attention directed to her.

"I'm fine." She told them firmly, relief filling her slowly when she noticed them gradually relax again, "I was just…trying to voice out my opinions. Y'know, trying to reassure you guys." She said as if it was the most normal thing in the world to talk about war and shrugged easily, placing her hands at the back of her head and turning her back on them.

"Ah, I see my house over there." Katana cut off quickly, making a show of pointing a red gate that stood not so far away from where they were situated. "I guess I'll be going then, ne?"

Silence was the only reply she received and so, with a heavy heart inside her chest, Katana trudged forward, her feet scraping against the ground in an almost painful manner. She slowed her steps on purpose, her ears straining to hear something, anything…

"Katana!"

She halted. Waited…

"…Yes?"

"Have…Have a safe trip home."

Her eyebrows rising slowly in sync with the pained smile that grew on her face, she languidly raised a hand, waving it in a mocking salute. "Will do, Sakura. Will do…"

* * *

"Tou-san, I'm home!"

The creak of the door hinges echoed loudly inside the apartment as Katana kicked herself inside tiredly, her shoulders slumped and her back slouching as she took off her sandals. Barefooted, Katana roamed into the living room, her aching feet throbbing insistently every time she took a step. Grey eyes swept around the empty house, searching for any sign of life.

"Tou-san?" Katana called out again, her eyes narrowing. "Tou-san, are you there?" Slowly, her orbs traveled down to the coffee table and found a note taped to the smooth wooden surface, the thin, scribbled handwriting belonging to none other than Hatake Kakashi.

_Yo, Kat-chan._

_Sorry that this letter's all I can do for now; Hokage-sama insisted that I join their urgent meeting concerning the war strategy as soon as possible or she'd drag my sorry ass to the office herself. Anyway, I've just gone home to change clothes and grab a few things before leaving again. I'm not going to be able to come home today, so don't bother staying up and waiting for me. I left the summoning scrolls on your bedside table. Summon Pakkun if the need arises, ne? I trust that you can take care of yourself just fine. Stay safe._

_~Kakashi_

Crumpling the note softly with a grimace, the brunette shook her head in dismay and sauntered over to the kitchen, stopping in front of the fridge and her fingers coiling around the handle. The kunoichi opened it with a tug, her eyes closing the minute the wave of cool breeze brushed over her face.

Squinting to see through the haze of cold air, Katana grabbed a pitcher of water and turned around, the door of the fridge clicking shut when her foot sent it a dull kick. Pulling out a glass, she poured a generous amount of water and waited until it filled almost up to the brim before setting aside the jug, her other hand bringing the glass up to her parted lips eagerly.

Gasping as her dry throat was relieved, the girl ignored the painful squeeze of her empty stomach and placed the used glass in the sink. Dragging her feet to get herself moving, she wandered over to her room, turning the knob open and switching the lights on. Her gaze traveled all over the place, her frown softening at the familiar feeling of warmth that it gave off.

_This room, this house…_She murmured internally, her hands reaching out to caress the pastel blue walls, _I wonder if I'll ever see it again after this day…Will I be able to go back here again?_

Releasing a sigh, she flicked the door shut, killed the lights and discarded her clothes stiffly, folding them and stacking them it a corner before snatching a clean shirt and a pair of shorts, tugging it on simultaneously. Without further delay, she threw herself on her bed carelessly, glancing at the scrolls by her bedside table. Now that she was all alone inside the confines of her room, the girl felt even more disheartened if possible, a raw ache left inside her chest and eating her insides away little by little.

This was stupid, she knew. _She_ was stupid. Shinobi didn't have fears. Shinobi weren't supposed to be scared or frightened by anything. Shinobi were emotionless; they were tools and tools weren't supposed to be afraid of death. Fear was weakness; it was unneeded, she kept telling herself, but the fact that she was still afraid, that she was still too weak to stand up against the illusions that could possibly never happen remained behind.

Banishing the thoughts in her pounding head, she sighed once more, fingers pressing against her temples. Closing her eyes, she leaned back, allowing her head to take comfort in the softness of her pillow. _It's fine…We're going to be just fine…_

* * *

It was raining. That much Katana could observe, just from the coldness and dampness of their surroundings, not to mention that the atmosphere around them was but a heavy cloud of mist. _It's still early in the morning_, she mused silently as she strained her eyes to see, _or late in the afternoon, I suppose. It's hard to distinguish the time with weather like this. Anyway…what am I doing here?_ She inquired mentally, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, together with another feeling that she couldn't quite place. The fact that everyone was wearing all black, including herself, didn't do anything to lessen her dread.

"What's happening…?" She breathed out in question to no one in particular and jumped when she received a humorless bark of laughter in reply, her body tensing as she craned her head to the side.

"Do you not know?" The person asked back, his voice cracking with hysteria. "And here I thought you were the closest one to him, jan." Grey orbs widening, Katana's breath hitched, a chilling sensation running down her spine. "K-Kankuro?" She voiced out with incredulity lacing her tone, his appearance enough to make color drain away from her face.

His normally clean face marked with neat purple design was nowhere to be found; in its place, instead, were dried wounds and scars, some of them still deep, ugly red in color. Stubble grew from his once smooth jaw, heavy, dark bags present underneath his stormy green eyes. The puppeteer looked nothing like the Kankuro Katana once knew.

Releasing a snort of hilarity, the jounin faced forward, a bitter smirk gracing his lips. "Hai. It's me, jan. 'S a wonder what war can do to a person, ne?"

"W-War?" Katana stuttered out rather nervously, goose bumps appearing down the length of her arms. "War has already—"

"Shh. It's starting."

"What?"

"The ceremony."

Turning to where Kankuro's finger had pointed, Katana's mouth fell agape when her gaze landed on a blonde girl with four pigtails, the formal black kimono that hugged her body wrinkling as she stepped up onto the makeshift stage in front.

Grey eyes followed Temari's hollow form, the brunette's heart clenching tightly when she noticed the kunoichi's desolated and blank stare at the crowd. Murmurs and hushed whispers filled the area as Temari scanned her audience with an expressionless façade, her once intense orbs dull and lifeless, her mouth set in a straight line.

"Shinobi."

The crowd fell into a dead silence once Temari spoke, all their attention shifting all at once at her then. Inhaling deeply, the blonde opened her mouth again and resumed her speech, "Before anything else…I want to thank everyone present here today for attending this ceremony. He—", she halted in the middle of her statement, moisture gathering in her eyelids, "He would have thanked you all so deeply if he was here…"

Eyebrows creased slightly as a frown took over Katana's features, the dread that she felt earlier doubling in intensity. "Kankuro…" she began distractedly, sending the older boy a quick glance before turning to the blonde speaker once more, "What is she talking about?"

"What, you say…" The puppeteer rumbled in reply, his tone low and silent as he fixed his eyes on his sister. "Isn't the question 'who' more appropriate?" Hearing his answer, Katana whirled around and faced him fully, obvious anxiety scribbled in her expression as her heart thundered inside her chest. "What do you mean?"

"He was…a good man." The brunette heard Temari say with a shaky voice, the stutters by themselves an indicator that she was nearing her breaking point. "A good leader…A good brother." Katana's heart stopped as the words registered in her ears, realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. Fear entered her heart the minute she deciphered their meaning and Katana felt her world gradually crumble apart.

"Kankuro." She snapped hurriedly, the desperation and alarm clear in her voice. "…Where's Gaara?"

"Ah…Gaara? Well, jan—"

"Cut the crap, Kankuro." She hissed and balled her fists angrily, rage flashing through her gaze as she glowered at him through narrowed eyes. "Tell me the truth!" The people didn't matter anymore. Temari didn't matter. The tense silence that surrounded the two of them as eyes fixed their gazes on their forms didn't matter to Katana at all.

"Where is Gaara?" She asked for the second time around, stressing each word to make the older shinobi understand faster. "Kankuro!"

"He's dead, jan."

"No…No…You're lying. Stop it. Just tell me—"

"No?" Interrupted Kankuro mockingly, though his face was anything but amused. He was livid, his face red with indignation and shame, his eyes welling with unshed tears. "Then why don't you go over there and see for yourself, jan?" He bit out as tears rolled down his scarred cheeks, her calm demeanor breaking down.

"You're the one who keeps lying to herself, Katana." He said with a dismayed shake of his head, his hand wiping the tears that fell unconsciously. "He's dead, jan. He's dead and he'll never come back!"

"You're lying! You're lying!" Katana snarled out in uncontrollable rage, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Gaara's fine! You're lying!"

She ran, tore away from the crowd forcefully, pushing people out of her way as she called out his name.

"Gaara! Gaara, where are you?!"

"Gaara, answer me!"

"Gaara…"

Soon, all her screams toned down into mere whispers, the flow of tears from her eyes seemingly unstoppable.

* * *

"GAARA!"

The frantic call echoed inside the darkness of the room as the girl on the bed bolted up, wrecking the dead silence of the midnight. Tears and sweat ran down the sides of her chalk white face, her features looking even paler in the streams of moonlight.

Choking back a sob as she found herself back in the safety of her room, the girl curled up into a ball, her arms going around her legs and hugging them close to her body. "Gaara…" she croaked out weakly in despair, trying to erase the image of him dead inside her mind.

_I need to see him…_She thought desperately as she wiped away the moisture on her face, her lips pursed in a determined frown, _I need to see him…even just for one last time. I need to know that he's alright._ Throwing the sheets off her body, she grabbed the knob and swung the door open, her legs running in an alarming rate as she repeated an inner mantra, _I need to see Gaara…I need to see Gaara..._

* * *

Staring at the smooth white door of the Kazekage's Quarters, Katana swallowed the lump in her throat, her jaws clenching as she grimaced uncertainly. _Way to go, ba~ka…_she silently admonished herself in frustration, a groan escaping her as she thumped her head gently on the large doors.

_Well, you're here now. What's next? He probably is already sleeping, you idiot! You and your stupid nightmares…_

Scoffing with bitterness, she pushed herself away from the door and took in a sharp inhale, releasing it as an exhausted sigh. _Come on, Katana, you're being unreasonable again…_

Shaking her head as if to clear it, the brunette brushed back her hair and took a step back, her determination falling apart for good. Sighing once more, she turned on her heel, her legs already positioned to run.

"Katana."

She froze, her breath catching inside her throat, her shoulders tensing reflexively and hope washing over her like a bucket of cold water. _That voice…he's okay..he's okay…_ She repeated over and over internally as she turned back to face him, the sight of him leaning against the doorway with his crimson hair tousled enough to make Katana cry from obvious relief.

Forcing herself to maintain her composure, she mustered a faltering beam at him, her watery gaze meeting his. "Hey." She greeted shakily in a casual tone, as if her presence was something ordinary.

Blinking, the redhead drowsily ruffled his hair, his mouth tugging down in a confused grimace. "What are you doing here?" He asked her slowly and stepped forward to approach her but she stiffened and took a step backwards, tripping over her two feet. Startled, Gaara reclaimed his previous spot, his frown deepening. "Katana…what's wrong?"

"Iie, it's nothing."

"Tell me."

"It's nothing, Gaara…I'm fine." Katana told him stubbornly, offering him a weak smile. Seeing him back down made her relax a little, her shoulders sagging down. "Please, go back to sleep. I don't want to bother you any longer…" Smiling for the last time, she gave him a mock bow before turning around and beginning to walk away, almost tripping for the second time around as she realized that sand glued her feet to the ground.

Preventing an aggravated hiss from escaping her, Katana clenched her jaw and scowled, her hands balling into fists by her sides. "You should really stop this habit of yours, Gaara." She bit out in annoyance, forcibly tugging off the grip on her leg. "Let go, will you?"

"No." Came the equally stubborn answer as the redhead grasped her arm, the sand's grip on her ankle loosening as he whirled her around gently. "Not until you tell me what's wrong with you." He said, worry entering his monotone voice. Grey eyes looked away when they met aquamarine, her firm resolve crumbling like dust whenever she was with him. Flexing her balled hands, she sighed explosively and leaned back into his touch, a wave of emotions crashing to her system the minute she felt his arms encircle her waist protectively.

"Nothing's wrong, baka." She voiced out again, this time in a weaker tone.

"Why are you here then?"

"I wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"Because", she began and swallowed heavily, tears stinging the corner of her eyes as she recalled the horrific scenes of her nightmare. Turning back to face him, she dropped all her control and promptly tackled him into a hug, ignoring the pained grunt he emitted when they bumped against the wall.

Tears left her eyes as she buried her face into his black shirt, the brunette sighing again when she felt lips press against the top of her head. The warmth that radiated off him was enough to make her feel safe, his arms reassuring her that everything would be alright. "…I'm scared, Gaara." She admitted hoarsely from inside his embrace, her hands clutching his back tightly, unwilling to let go for even just a second. "I'm scared…"

"Don't be." Gaara murmured and he held her even closer if possible, his dark-ringed orbs closing as he settled his head down her shoulder. "I'm here…I'll always be here, Katana." Pulling away, he lowered his head, sea foam eyes staring back at ash-colored orbs. "I promise…" He whispered sincerely, his lips descending on hers gently.

"_I promise…"_

* * *

**And chapter 39 ends there. I hope I haven't disappointed you. ^^" Sorry, I know my chapters haven't been the best lately. I still do hope you keep reading..! XD Don't worry, I'll update again as soon as possible!**


	41. Chapter 40 It's a promise

**Author's Note:**

So... how'd I do this time? Better? :D I missed you guys. I'm suffering hell in school, ya know. I swear, it's like my teachers are out to kill me or something. The only relaxation I have left is this one. Aaannnyway. **Enjoy and review, ne? Tell me what you think about it.**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 40: It's a promise

Lights danced around before grey orbs as Katana cracked her eyes open, her eyebrows creasing as the sudden brightness blinded her. She waited, drowsily evening out her breath, as her eyes adjusted to the glow coming from outside. After a minute of staring blankly, the fog of haze inside her mind vanished as well and the brunette blinked away the daze, using one of her hands to push back the makeshift covers that clung to her body.

Sitting up readily, she bit back a groan when a sharp pain shot through her lower back, the girl grumbling and regretting her uncomfortable position as she stretched to relieve the tight knots. _Note to self,_ she reminded rather glumly, wincing when her muscles contracted at the treatment, _never sleep inside a carriage again._

Scanning her surroundings for a quick moment, a lopsided smile was brought to her lips when she laid eyes on Tenten's curled-up figure, the bun-haired girl snuggling closely against her stoic Hyuuga teammate.

Beside the male prodigy, Rock Lee was sprawled haphazardly over the narrow bench of their vehicle, his back leaning on Neji's arm, his mouth open as loud snores escaped him.

On the boisterous boy's left, Team Kurenai sat together, the three in a comfortable position with Hinata in the middle of the two shinobi and buried under their jackets. Facing forward, Katana's grin grew even larger at the sight of one of Chouji's beefy arms wrapped around Ino's delicate frame, the other arm draped carelessly over Shikamaru's slumped form.

Shaking her head in amusement and glancing sideways, grey eyes softened when they landed on her pink-haired teammate. Emerald orbs hid behind thick lashes as Sakura shuddered from the cold and twisted in her sleep, her head burrowing further under the blanket. Sighing and draping her own dark blanket over her friend, Katana grabbed her sword from under the seat and stood up, ducking her head slightly as she stepped out of the carriage.

Blinking as the sun's rays blinded her temporarily, the brunette raised one hand to shield her eyes as she walked into the clearing, her hands tying the sheath of her weapon around her hips securely. From afar, some of the shinobi already up and springing into action, their faces already moist with sweat despite still being early in the morning.

"Yo."

Whirling around with her fist clenching on the hilt of her blade and her body tense, Katana's hand stilled as she went face to face with the newcomer, the telltale wisps of silver hair and the dark mask making her drop her guard immediately. "Tou-san." She regarded with a hint of relief, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Unsuccessfully, she suppressed a smile, trying to hide the overwhelming feeling of comfort that washed over her system.

"You're early…that's almost unbelievable." She commented flippantly, smirking faintly when the jounin winced and rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment.

"Ne, I'm sure it's not that unbelievable." Kakashi supplied as he stopped by her side, his single eye creasing in mock worry. Biting back the laughter that began to build up inside her throat, Katana let her smirk develop into a grin, her white teeth and twinkling eyes taunting him wordlessly. "Oh", she replied with an exaggerated gasp, her eyes widening in sync with the sound, "but it is, Tou-san."

Stunned silence met her response. Kakashi's onyx orb went wide with obvious surprise; clearly, he hadn't been expecting her to push it that far. When his shock wore off, however, the silver-haired man's eyes fell into a dirty look and Katana barely prevented a snicker from coming out this time, her hand clamping down her mouth with haste.

"Alright, I give up." The older shinobi sniffed begrudgingly as he folded his arms across his chest and feigned hurt, pretending to wipe away a stray tear with his thumb, his feet turning around and walking back to the direction he previously came from. "If you find my presence so impossible to believe, then I'm going back to the tent. At least there, my pillow and sheets welcome me warmly."

Finally giving in to the urge to laugh, Katana doubled over as genuine laughter racked her body, her eyes shut tight and mouth wide open as guffaws left her. Grabbing hold of herself once more as her laughter died down into faint chuckles, the brunette grinned and eagerly yanked back the jounin's arm before he could get away, her smile wide and carefree as she apologetically hugged him from behind.

"Gomen, gomen!" Katana said between small chortles, the girl burying her face on the green jounin vest and inhaling the familiar scent of detergent and grass on the piece of clothing. "I was kidding, Tou-san." She told the older man, chuckling for the last time when the silver-haired jounin sniffed again.

"You're so mean, Kat-chan."

Rolling her eyes at the infamous nickname, the younger girl tightened her grasp on the man's torso suddenly and heard a grunt of protest.

"Oi. Don't call me that."

"But Kat-chan, you—"

"Say it one more time and I will skewer you, Tou-san."

Feigning a scowl as she heard the jounin burst out into laughs, Katana dropped her hug readily, opting instead to cross her arms over her chest. Glaring as the man turned to face her with his visible eye creasing in hilarity, grey eyes relaxed their glower when they landed on the masked face, without a doubt a grin hidden beneath it.

"I almost forgot that your temper is rather short when it comes to my antics." Kakashi joked lightly, reaching out and tucking a strand of loose hair behind the brunette's ear. His onyx eye softening, the silver-haired shinobi patted the girl's head, ruffling her hair slightly. "I missed you, kid."

Suppressing a smile, Katana coughed casually before looking away, her feet walking towards the opposite direction. "After only three days? Tou-san, you softie." She interjected teasingly, glancing back to beckon him. "Ah, that's right…walk with me?" Raising an eyebrow, Kakashi gave a masked smile, burying his hands deep in his pockets.

"Alright then."

* * *

"So…How have you been while I was away?"

Kicking the dirt carelessly from the path, Katana peered up curiously at the jounin as both walked on without a destination, raising an eyebrow at his attempt to start a conversation. "Fine." She replied slowly, blinking twice in confusion.

Fixing her steady gaze at him, Katana watched her father nod once, a distant look set in his eye. She waited for him to go on but after a short moment of silence, it became clear to her that he had no plan on responding yet.

Sighing as she shook her head lightly, the brunette let her mouth twist into a smile, her gaze turning back to the road. "Gaara kept me company during that time and made sure I was alright."

"Oh? He took care of my girl then?"

Almost proudly, Katana beamed and gave a nod, her hands interlacing behind her back. "Yeah. That he did."

"Aa. Seems like I had nothing to worry about after all."

"Of course…" Shooting the older man a bewildered glance, Katana frowned and lowered her gaze, the dullness of the jounin's voice troubling her. "Even without Gaara, I can take care of myself just fine." She added defensively, just then realizing that the thought of the man worrying offended her.

Raising his hands up in surrender, Kakashi let out one last sigh of hilarity before smiling apologetically down at the kunoichi, the unmistakable worry creeping once again inside his eyes. "Hai, hai." He said in defeat, placing both raised hands on the back of his head. "I know that."

Flinching inwardly as she heard the glum shift in his tone once more, Katana's grimace dug deeper as she gave the seemingly nonchalant man a pointed look, her feet halting stubbornly in the middle of the busy road. "Hm?" Turning to her in question, the masked man stopped as well and raised an inquiring eyebrow, the guilt that passed through his gaze well-noticed by the brunette.

"What?" He asked casually as if he was bored, though his uncomfortable shifting betrayed his indifference.

"What's wrong?"

He stared at her for a long time, his gaze fixed on her forehead, purposely missing her eyes. Silence took over as the two stared at each other with unwavering gazes, the girl's grey eyes determined on glowering. The dry, lonely breeze of the morning blew pass them teasingly, taking with it a cloud of dust that brushed ever-so-gently over the brunette's exposed face. Finally, the jounin broke his stare and sighed in defeated, his shoulders slumping.

"The teams…" he began with an exasperated grunt, his balled hands jamming themselves deep into his pockets in order to release some pent-up frustrations, "they'll be split up. Instead of the divisions composing of different teams from different villages, the shinobi themselves would be separated and placed into the division that suits their range and ability, regardless of whether his or her teammates would be there as well."

Hearing the silver-haired man's explanation made Katana's heart weigh down, her glare dropping to the ground as she voiced out her disappointment in the form of a single syllable. "Oh." She replied miserably and sighed, her mind twisting and turning with worry. With uncertainty, she looked up, hesitancy clear in her expression. "Will…Will Team 7 be separated as well?"

"Hai. You're assigned to Darui's division, if I'm not mistaken. Sai belongs to the Surprise Attack Division. Sakura will be placed under my care." His answer was soft and low, unexpectedly gentle and soothing to Katana's ringing ears. It made her unease lessen gradually, though she was not sure where the relief came from exactly.

She sighed for the second time around, closing her eyes as she tried to think through the confusion fogging her mind. "Well", she began weakly, smiling in an attempt to comfort the older shinobi, "at least you and Sakura will be together. That's enough good news to me already. Not to mention, Sai had been used to working alone before he got stuck with us." She told him with a relieved beam, the thoughts that previously bothered her dissipating all at once.

"And you?"

Raising an eyebrow at the query, Katana beamed lopsidedly at Kakashi, inwardly chuckling at the way his eye narrowed with concern. "What about me?" She shot back jokingly, her grin widening when the jounin scowled beneath his mask.

"Didn't you just say earlier that there's nothing to be worried about? I'll be fine, Tou-san. Trust me." She told him reassuringly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Immediately, Kakashi relaxed, though his chakra remained scattered and frenzied around the atmosphere.

"Fine." He responded grudgingly as he shook his head, his hand reaching up to tuck the stray strands of hair behind the girl's ear.

"Besides", grabbing the sleeve of his shirt to get him moving, Katana tugged him forward, setting their languid pace back into motion again, "even though I'm afraid of this war, it's not exactly my death that I'm worried about." She murmured lowly, remembering the nightmares that had come to visit her on a nightly basis days ago. "More importantly, it's you and everyone else's safety that makes me anxious, especially now with us fighting alongside strangers instead of our familiar comrades. I don't think I can—"

"Shinobi! Form according to your villages now! I repeat, shinobi! Form according to your villages now! Captains, you are needed by the Raikage!"

Groaning as the untimely announcement interrupted her, Katana whirled around and glared, her eyes searching for the culprit. Seeing none suspicious-looking enough to be blamed, the brunette grimaced and folded her arms across her chest, annoyance glinting off her gaze.

"I better go." Kakashi said with an inaudible sigh, breaking free of the latter's grasp gently. Looking around before glancing back at the girl, Kakashi brought down his hand on the kunoichi's head affectionately, ruffling the girl's hair. "Take care of yourself, Kat-chan." Rolling her eyes despite the soft beam plastered on her face, Katana pushed away his gloved hand, her fingers combing the mess he made.

"You be careful, Tou-san." She said as she walked away from him, both father and daughter turning their backs against one another and trudging onto opposite directions.

* * *

A frown was placed on Katana's expression as she slowly paced her way back to where their carriage was, her hands awkwardly fidgeting with the new forehead protector on her head. Rolling back her shoulders, her grimace deepened as the chuunin vest given to her restricted her movements, the article of clothing hugging her body too snuggly for her taste.

_They even made me change my shirt, _Katana added to her list of complaints grudgingly, the intense beams of sunlight increasing her discomfort. With her uniform clinging to her like a second skin, Katana swore incoherent, broken strings of curses under her breath, her mood turning sour as she reached their vehicle. As soon as the horse-drawn carriage filled her view, thin eyebrows both rose in surprise, the sight before her taking her aback.

"Oh my god, you guys! How long have you kept this from us?"

The sound of Ino's sickly sweet tone and Sakura's girly squealing made Katana gag inwardly, goose bumps appearing down the length of her arms. The blonde and her pink-haired friend were always touchy-feely and both had a knack for cliché things ever since they were children; Katana never really got used to it.

Swallowing as she braced herself for the impending chaos, the brunette trudged halfheartedly towards them, a lopsided smile brought to her face when she caught Tenten blushing furiously with the stoic Hyuuga looking down in embarrassment beside her.

Behind the two of them, Rock Lee had his fists balled and shaking, fire passionately lighting up in his round eyes. "Neji! Tenten! My youthful teammates! You should not have kept this a secret from us!"

"I told you once, I told you a thousand times! Nothing happened!" Tenten shrieked in frustration and embarrassment, her face as red as a ripe tomato. Her hand collided with her forehead as she shook her head repetitively, irritation flashing through the honey brown orbs that she possessed. "Neji, tell them already!"

"Tell them what—"

"Tell them that nothing happened, you idiot!"

"N-Nothing…happened…Hn."

Kiba gave a sarcastic snort. "He sure sounds convincing."

"You'd be smart not to provoke a Hyuuga, Kiba." Shino advised in a low murmur from his side, giving Neji a nod of acknowledgement before walking away from them. The Inuzuka's overconfident smirk and reply only made Neji's scowl deepen, his white eyes narrowed as he balled his fists.

"You should listen to your teammate a little more, Kiba." He shot angrily, pale cheeks flushed. Next to Kiba, Hinata mustered up a courageous front before marching towards the Hyuuga prodigy and facing Kiba with a stern but gentle frown, her actions rather cute than firm.

"A-Anou, I'm sure Neji-nii-san and T-Tenten-chan have a g-good reason f-for not telling us s-sooner." She defended mildly, looking at Tenten and smiling as she grasped the older girl's hand.

"Aww, don't tell me you're actually siding with 'em, Hinata-chan!"

"Hinata-sama…"

In the midst of the noise and madness, Katana found herself chuckling in amusement at her so-called friends; The stunned expression on Neji's pink-tainted face and openly gaping mouth while he thought of a comeback was the most hilarious one so far.

The laughter that erupted from her throat made everyone snap their attentions back at her and Katana grinned widely at them, feeling too curious to care about the way her hair stuck to her sweaty forehead. "So", she started when nobody took the initiative the break the silence, one of her hands resting on her hip, "just what the hell is going on in here?"

"Katana-chan!" Kiba greeted boisterously after her question, his grin wolfish as he snuck a mocking glance at the Hyuuga prodigy. "We were wondering where you've gone so early in the morning. It's too bad that you've missed the show. It was quite entertaining seeing Tenten and Neji cling to each othe—" His eyes widening in shock as he narrowly dodged a flying kunai with a yelp of protest, Kiba sent a dirty glare to the bun-haired girl's direction, who in turn, offered her own stubborn scowl.

"I told you to stop it already." She snapped, another kunai in hand and ready to throw at anytime. "There's nothing between Neji and I. It's just that I'm naturally clingy when I sleep."

"That's true." Neji supported with a nod, his expression desperate and more than eager to end the meaningless debate. Shaking her head at the pitiful excuse, Katana sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, her fingers fumbling with annoyance at the collar of her new sleeved shirt.

"I don't know about your sleeping habits, Tenten,", she commented flippantly, sending the girl a comforting wink when brown orbs glanced at her, "but I'm pretty sure the rest of you guys are needed over there. They're giving out the uniforms already."

"Oh? Is that why you're wearing a chuunin vest?" Sakura piped in, raising both her eyebrows as she just took notice of her friend's change in clothing. Nodding and grunting as she was once again reminded of the repulsive vest, Katana crossed her arms and tried not to look too upset, her lips falling into a frown.

"Pretty much. I haven't had much choice, especially since they practically forced me into putting it on." The pink-haired girl's sympathetic chuckle rang inside her ears as melodious echoes and soothed her inner turmoil, her gaze softening and her scowl turning into a faint beam as she glanced at Sakura.

"Anyway, you guys better get going." Katana reminded as she looked away from her friend and to the others, her smile dropping as she put on her serious façade. "The assembly's going to start soon." A series of feigned sighs and mock sniffles answered her, Kiba's response especially whiny.

"But Katana-chan…" he grumbled, pouting like a child, "It's still too early to—"

"It is not, Kiba!" Cut off the bowl-haired boy behind Neji and Tenten, startling everyone with his energy.

Dramatically fisting his hand and shutting his eyes tight, Rock Lee bellowed with as much emotions as possible, "It is never too early to start such an exciting day!"

"Oi, pipe down, Lee! You're bothering sleeping shinobi!"

"Yoooosh! Let's go, my youthful comrades!" Lee shouted with a blinding grin and ran to the direction of the crowd, blatantly ignoring Kiba's hissed advice. Sighing, Kiba slapped a hand on his face, frustration scribbled all over his puckered up expression. "…He just doesn't listen, does he?"

* * *

Silence. It was the one thing Katana desperately wished for the moment she got pushed into the formation, the endless chattering and noise of the thousand shinobi making her ears ring. A grimace was placed on her lips as she glanced around warily, attempting to at least familiarize herself with the faces of her comrades.

The crowd was packed so tightly that shoulders and elbows bumped against one another, the heat between their clothed bodies almost suffocating. Distancing herself from the crowd to take a lungful of fresh air had been a tempting option but Katana gritted her teeth and willed herself to stay.

_If only it didn't seem as if I was running away, then I would've…_

"You alright there, Katana-chan?" The Akimichi clan leader, Chouza, inquired out of concern, his plump face contorting into a frown as he eyed the gloomy girl. Snapping out of her daze and looking up at the beefy man, the younger girl forced a tight smile, wiping away the sweat that gathered on her hairline with her sleeve. "Hai. I'm fine. I'm just…a little tense."

The reply she received was a spirited deep laugh, the man's body shaking with the action. "Ah…I understand where it's coming from, young un." He said with a soft smile, bringing a large hand down on Katana's head gently. "You're a newbie on the battlefield. You're bound to be nervous. But ya know what? You'll be fine. Saw you fight with Kakashi during Pain's invasion, remember? You'll be fine, kid." He said reassuringly, grinning as if war was a natural occurrence. "You'll be just fine."

"Ah, hai." She responded with a polite nod, relaxing a little at the older man's words. "Thank you." Shaking his head and turning to face forward once more, Chouza beamed good-naturedly, taking his hand off her head. "Speaking of which", he muttered lowly as he bent down to whisper at her ear, his smile fading away, "that lad over there had been eyeing you ever since we got here. I suggest you stay cautious."

Whirling around once the older man was done talking, grey eyes met the soft hazelnut orbs of a blushing boy, his lean built hugged by a violet Kiri vest. The girl blinked twice before looking over her shoulder to check if there was someone there that was making eye contact other than her and finding none, she turned to the boy again, mustering up an awkward smile.

Much to her surprise, the blush on the lad's face intensified tenfold, the shade of his cheeks resembling a ripe tomato in the verge of bursting. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, she turned back, averting her gaze from the timid shinobi to the high balcony of the Kumo Mansion.

An inaudible sigh escaped her as she lowered her eyes back down to the ground, the noises all around her fading into the background as a certain redhead descended into her thoughts. _I haven't seen him all day…_She contemplated inwardly, fingers toying amongst themselves behind her back. Her eyebrows furrowed and she grimaced, one of her hands coming up to tuck a strand of hair back in place. _Gaara…_

Sighing, the girl toyed with the metallic band around her ring finger, a habit she developed over the weeks whenever there was something bothering her.

"H-Hi…"

Stiffening as she heard the soft-spoken greeting, the brunette took a sharp breath and placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, her face falling into a hasty frown the minute she faced the stranger. "Yes?" She asked, sounding so breathless and defensive that the poor boy that approached her took a step backwards. Recognizing the shinobi from earlier, Katana dropped her firm grasp on her weapon, her hand resting on her hip instead.

"It's you." She regarded in surprise, a faint beam entering her face at the sight of warm brown eyes. "Is there something you need?" She asked once more, this time in a clearer, calmer tone.

"H-Hai." The dark-haired teen stuttered out nervously, his eyes wide and his face pink as he spoke to her. "W-Well I-I—N-Not really, n-no—I-I mean, y-yes!" He yelped indecisively before groaning in embarrassment, the boy burying his face in his hands. Blinking twice at the scene before her, Katana cleared her throat slightly, unsure of what to say or do.

"Have we," she began slowly, careful as to not scare the jumpy boy further, "met before? You seem to be familiar with me."

At the attempt to start a conversation, the Kiri shinobi gave off a relieved sigh, his mouth curling up in a sheepish smile. "Hai. We did. " He said with a chuckle, scratching his head. "You…I'm the one you h-helped out. The one with the swords." He supplied, his tone hopeful as he peered from behind his dark brown bangs. "Do you remember?"

Furrowing her eyebrows, Katana racked her mind for the memory and her eyes widened when something clicked into place. "Oh!" She gasped and grinned as she remembered, her face lighting up. "You're that guy."

"Hai." He confirmed with an embarrassed laugh, his bashful beam gracing his young face and adding a boyish charm. "Anou…I wanted to thank you for your kindness that day." Blinking and smiling confusedly, Katana raised her hands and shook them in front in sync with her head, "No, it's fine, really. Anyway, I wanted to say sorry to you, y'know? I was in a hurry and I didn't really pay attention. It was sort of my fault."

"Not at all! I—"

"You shouldn't talk to strangers, jan."

Whirling around in question, Katana instinctively smiled at the sight of a purple-marked face and smirking lips, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Kankuro? What are you doing here?" She asked the puppeteer, facing him fully a second later and missing the warning glare he shot the other boy. Then, with an excited smile that she tried hard to fight off, Katana cleared her throat, looking away, "It's Gaara, isn't it?" She inquired again in a seemingly nonchalant tone, though her heart was racing faster than it should be as she let hope wash over her carelessly.

With a friendly beam that only Katana could witness, Kankuro shrugged, his grin becoming wider. "You got me. He wanted to see you before the assembly."

Perking up at the older shinobi's statement, Katana smiled back just as enthusiastically before a thought occurred to her, causing her to faintly grimace, "It better not be some pathetic parting words. I won't accept any forms of goodbye." Snorting, Kankuro shook his head, his black hood flying with the movement. "I'm sure it's something like that, jan. Knowing Gaara, he probably has been over thinking again. Anyway, let's get going, shall we?"

Jerking his head to the side, Kankuro offered one last smile at Katana before he turned his back on her, slowing his steps on purpose in order to make sure that the girl could keep up. Grey eyes followed the dark form of the puppeteer that steered pass the crowd in broad daylight, the possibility of the redhead saying goodbye making her frown.

As if remembering something, Katana's eyes widened and she readily whirled back to face the boy, momentarily forgetting about Kankuro. "Sorry 'bout that." She apologized with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head. "It seems like I have to go. The Kazekage's asking for my presence." The brunette explained, keeping her tone low as not to sound so eager.

The Kiri nin blinked back his hazel orbs, his mouth falling into a slight frown of disappointment. "O-Oh. That's alright." He said, lowering his gaze down to the ground. Suddenly, he snapped his head back up, mouth falling agape as a thought struck him. "Anou, c-can I…have your name?" He asked, grasping Katana's wrist hurriedly when he noticed her already walking away.

Startled, the kunoichi turned back, her lips curling into a beam at the sight of the boy's once again red face. "I'm Katana. You?"

"Kyosuke."

Giving the shinobi a curt nod before craning her head back to search for Kankuro, she told him, "It's been nice talking to you, Kyosuke." Finally catching sight of a black hood, Katana broke free of his hold, waved her goodbye and jogged away, disappearing in the crowd as just another insignificant blur.

* * *

The blow of cold air from inside the air-conditioned office as the mahogany doorknob was twisted open elicited a long sigh of relief from her mouth, the artificial breeze enough to calm her nerves. Slowly, and as gently as she could, the brunette pushed the door wide open, her eyes scanning the empty room for any signs of movement.

The sound of shuffling footsteps made her turn her attention to the windows sharply, her pursed lips relaxing at the familiar sight and releasing a long sigh of breath she hadn't been aware that she held.

She smiled, a soft genuine smile painting her lips, as she stared at the rich crimson strands that ruffled obediently along with the puff of air. The broad shoulders that faced her were hugged fit by a brown Suna vest, the clothing showing just how lean the boy really was despite his position and title.

_The mighty Kazekage, they call him,_ Katana mused with an ironic beam, her arms crossing over one another as she stared at his back, _I really don't get it. All I see here is a boy waiting for me._ Shaking her head and pushing herself pass the doorway, Katana welcomed the gust of chilly wind, making sure to make her footsteps loud and clear as she entered the room.

"You called for me, Commander General?" She asked, her heart skipping rebelliously and her face heating up against her wishes when the redhead turned and faced her with an unusually soft gaze. A small, faint smile entered the Kazekage's emotionless face, the atmosphere around him lightening up the minute he laid eyes on her.

"You don't have to call me that." He protested despite the obvious relief that crashed into him that moment. Without giving anything to say further, he merely turned his attention back at the window, fixing his gaze down on the gathered people below.

Her feet moving in its own accord and approaching the boy slowly, Katana joined beside him, her eyes scanning his face. "What's wrong, Kazekage-sama? You seem duller than usual." Raising an eyebrow at the defensive glare the latter threw her, she chuckled, crossing her arms and turning to look at the sea of shinobi outside.

"What is it? You haven't prepared your speech yet? Did you get cold feet, perhaps?" She inquired in a teasing tone, trying to loosen up the tense aura of the boy. After a moment of quietness, the girl released a sigh, her shoulders slumping and her smile dropping. "Fine, I give up. You know, this could be easier if you just—"

"I don't know if I could do it."

Startled by the deep voice that suddenly rang out, Katana's head snapped up to look at him, her grey orbs blinking and softening at his faraway gaze. His eyes held a distant look in them, aquamarine orbs glassy and unfocused as they stared into the boisterous crowd. Gaara's thin lips were molded into a faint grimace of worry, his emotionless façade long gone in front of the brunette. After all, there was no use in putting effort in something that could be easily overlooked by just a single individual.

Brushing away the crimson hair strands that tickled his forehead, Gaara let out a silent breath, the first reaction he showed ever since the girl came. "I don't know…" he trailed off, repeating himself and for once, sounding so frail and uncertain, "…if I can be the Commander that the army needs. I don't know if I can be the leader that they expect me to be."

He averted his gaze, away from the window and away from her; shamefully, he directed his eyes down on the floor instead. "Those people…their lives depend on my actions; on my decisions…Can I really…be the person that will lead them?" His statement made the latter close her eyes and take in a deep breath, the puff of air slipping past her mouth as an inaudible sigh. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at the back of his head, a hand reaching forward in sync.

Without warning, she grasped his hand, her fingers intertwining with his and taking the young man aback. "You're an idiot."

"W-What?" Gaara stuttered out in question, his ringed orbs widening for a second before narrowing in offense, his porcelain-like skin turning pink with embarrassment. He glared at her, mouth slightly agape, utter speechlessness taking over him.

Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Katana smiled, shaking her head, "You're an idiot for even having those thoughts." She told him, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand soothingly despite her words. "Those people out there…they trust you, you know. They trust in you so much, that they are able to throw away their fear and fight wholeheartedly for their comrades because they know that their lives are safe within your hands."

She spared him a glimpse, taking in the way his aquamarine eyes lowered, the hopeful glimmer in them returning once more. "Have a little more faith in yourself…Kazekage-sama." She added flippantly, smirking once more at the sound of his snort.

Her gaze relaxed when she noticed the doubt in his eyes fade away, a faint beam gracing the Kazekage's stoic face as he stared at her, transfixed. "Don't call me that." He murmured, the loose hand that she held clasping hers lightly.

"Why not?"

"Because…" Gaara started significantly only to trail off with a faint smile, turning back to the window. The cool breeze from the air conditioner blew at them again, making brown and red strands of hair flow at the direction. Raising an eyebrow, Katana waited for the redhead to continue and hearing no statement coming after that, she nudged his side, expectantly looking up at him, "Because?"

"Just…because."

Blinking twice at his illogical answer, realization dawned into her little by little and Katana scowled at being tricked, pulling away from his grasp and crossing her arms when she heard him snicker under his breath. "Jerk." She snapped, avoiding him eagerly as he tried to reclaim her hand. "Idiot Kage." She bit out next at the sound of his chuckles, her annoyance increasing at his infuriatingly handsome smirk.

Glaring and gnashing her teeth, Katana balled her fists and swiftly turned on her heel, turning her back on him with a defiant grunt. "If that's all you need from me—"

"Katana, wait—"

"—then I'll be going, annoying jerk-sama."

"Wait."

Grains of slithering sand coiled around her ankle and stopped her in mid-step, the girl groaning and cursing the blasted sand. She struggled stubbornly but the dusty particles had her glued to the spot for good. "Katana." Whirling one foot back in order to face him again, the brunette glowered at the marble tiles, avoiding his gaze with a pout.

"What?" She asked—almost whined—, all the while scowling, her eyebrows drawn together in a furrow.

The sound of quiet footsteps echoed throughout the dead silence of the room. Calmly, the redhead stopped in front of the girl, easily towering over the kunoichi's smaller build, casting his shadow on her form. After a pregnant pause, an eyebrow was raised and Gaara's smirk turned into something a little more tender, his eyes softening further.

He backed a step away and raised a ball fist in between them, opening it slowly and revealing a tiny hourglass dangling from a string in a necklace-like fashion. "Here." He said simply as he took the necklace in both hands and secured it around her neck, his fingers brushing against her nape and leaving a lingering sensation. "I wanted to give it to you before the war."

Her scowl falling apart as curiosity and surprise took over, Katana picked up the tiny vial, her eyes snapping wide open as she watched the specks of sand inside it dance and swirl restlessly, gliding along the surface of the glass.

"It's beautiful…" She breathed out in awe, a grin threatening to creep in her expression, "What's this for?" A sudden thought hit her and any plans of smiling were quickly erased, her mouth falling in a stubborn grimace instead. Her glare took him aback and Gaara offered a clueless raised eyebrow, his expression once again becoming a mask of indifference. "What?"

"Why give me this all of a sudden? You're thinking of something, aren't you?"

"What could I be thinking?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it's not something good." She muttered in a grudging tone, narrowing her eyes and clenching a fist around the hourglass. "For all I know, this could be some sort of goodbye gift that you're giving me." She added, her face turning livid as the gears inside her head turned. "You bastard, you're thinking just that, aren't you?" She snapped in accusation only to pause when he glared at her, his porcelain-like skin turning red without warning.

An inaudible sigh escaped him and he averted his stare, looking down at the marble floor. "You're reading too much in one gift. I'm not thinking of anything." He said reassuringly and spared Katana a quick glance, "Can I not give my fiancée a gift without thinking of anything besides that she might like it?" Blushing at his response, Katana dropped her glare, sighing heavily and rubbing the back of her neck in a sheepish manner.

"Alright." She exhaled in defeat, loosening her death grip on the necklace and opting to rub it gently instead. "I'm sorry. You're right." She apologized, looking up at him and smiling lopsidedly. "It is beautiful…and I do like it." Hearing her statement, the upset frown on the teen's face fell apart, his ringed orbs peering at her tentatively from behind his red bangs. "I'm glad."

Sighing once more, Katana brought the small container at eye level, staring at it intently. "I'm curious though." She said, her eyes determined on following the sand, "How can it move like this inside? Isn't it supposed to drop grain by grain to the other side of the hourglass?" The sound of low chuckles reached her ears and she glanced up, expecting an explanation from the amused-looking redhead. "Well?"

"Chakra." Gaara answered, extending a hand towards the hourglass and caressing it, his fingers grazing Katana's ever so softly. "I took some of my sand from the gourd and placed it inside. It has my chakra embedded within it and as long as I keep feeding it my energy, it'll keep on moving." He said, staring at the mesmerized girl.

"I gave it to you", he drawled out, his gaze moving onto the glass figurine in her hold, "so that you won't worry. Because no matter how bloody the war is, as long as I'm alive, the sand inside that hourglass will never stop swirling."

Grey eyes flickered up from the sand towards the redhead's aquamarine orbs, Katana's smile dropping into a thin line as her eyes hardened in challenge. "Alive, you say?" She voiced out, her hand letting go of the necklace carelessly. The hourglass tumbled back down and thumped against her vest without a sound.

The girl looked past Gaara's shoulder, her eyes focusing on the crowd of shinobi waiting outside. _This may be my first time in a war…_She contemplated grudgingly, her train of thoughts leading straight to a dark path, _but I'm no newbie in a battlefield. I'm not stupid enough to believe in false hopes. _She frowned, her hands limply dropping into loose fists by her sides. "I doubt it."

"Why?" There was no bitterness in Gaara's voice. No anger, no offense taken. There weren't any negative emotions because he knew Katana would never say anything unnecessary; she would never say anything without an explanation. And so, the young man waited, staring at Katana's expression intently.

Closing her eyes, the brunette took in a calming breath, releasing it gradually, a furrow appearing between her brows as she recalled her visions. _He died twice already in my nightmares. I know that it couldn't be true…but the possibility of it happening is just too high. At this rate, even false hopes are enough. If only I had just one little reassurance, anything at all…_ She thought with a grimace, desperation overcoming her shame at showing weakness openly. _Then I'd be fine…_

Snapping open her grey eyes, she stared at his aquamarine ones, hopelessness hidden deep within her gaze. "I'm not stupid enough to believe in things so easily, Gaara." She said with a soft snort, looking at him in an almost miserable manner, her smile heartbreaking.

"Promise me." It wasn't the answer he was looking for, but nonetheless Gaara sighed, a rueful beam plastered on his face. "Promise you what?"

"Promise me that by the end of this war…you'll be waiting for me right here", she said, stomping one foot down on the ground to emphasize the last word, "alive and intact." The redhead raised a hairless brow, amusement glinting off his expression. "You drive quite a hard bargain." He complained flippantly, meaning it as a simple joke. Her smile wavered for a moment, taking his statement seriously, anxiety flashing through her gaze.

"Promise me." She pressed on, her beam wiped off. Her voice was trembling, sounding so unlike from the strong tone that she was used to hearing. The stubbornness was still present in it yet it was weaker this time, more desperate than anything. "Promise me, Gaara." Finally, the redhead let out an inaudible sigh, a pale hand coming up to ruffle his already messy red mane. "What do I get in return?"

"What?"

"As in", he began, stepping forward and closing the remaining the distance between them, and leaned in so that their lips were barely centimeters apart, "if I promise you that…what will you give me as payment?" Grey eyes lowered and the brunette's anxiety and fear vanished away completely, her mind shutting down and her heart racing at the hot breath that fanned her face. She swallowed quickly, her mouth parting slightly as she attempted to form the right words.

"A-Anything you'd like." She stuttered out in response and tried to take a step back to retreat, only to find out that the claw of sand still bind her to the floor. She glanced at his sea foam eyes, her heart pounding against her ribcage when she saw him smirk faintly. Cursing the heat that traveled up to surface in her cheeks, she clenched her jaw and jutted out her chin so suddenly that the latter took a step back.

"You haven't promised me anything yet." She said cheekily, grinning when he blinked twice. "Ah, that's right…" She heard him mutter slowly as if he was in deep thought, his eyes fixed on her mouth. Shaking off the blush in her face, the kunoichi took a shaky breath, her confidence wavering, "Well?" She demanded, clearing her throat to cover up for her breathlessness.

"...Hn."

With the uttered syllable as an abrupt answer, Gaara dove in smoothly, claiming his payment and pressing his lips against hers in a sweet manner. Eyes widening, Katana felt the heat rush all at once towards her face and she stumbled back on her weak knees, breaking the kiss in the process.

With a gasp, she threw her arms around the redhead's neck, holding on to him as she tried to regain her balance and her senses. Arms wove around her waist, hands grasping onto her protectively as the young man pulled her flush against his lean body. "It's a promise." Gaara whispered, leaning once more and bringing their foreheads together.

Hearing the reassurance, Katana exhaled heavily and closed her eyes, relaxing inside the Kage's embrace. "You idiot." She said, though with a smile on her red face, her teeth showing on her grin. "Anyone can enter this room and see us like this, ba~ka."

"Hn."

"Oi. Don't 'hn' me. Aren't you worried about what they might thi—"

Silencing her with another quick peck and watching with amusement as her face lit bright red like a bulb, Gaara loosened his hold slowly, one of his hands reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let them think what they want to think." He droned out before turning his back on her, his attention shifting outside of the window again.

Taking a second to fix his indifferent mask in place, the Kazekage cleared his throat, crossing his arms over the expanse of his chest. "You can go now."

Straightening up and putting on her own façade, Katana bowed quickly before standing up again, the faintest hint of a beam tugging on the sides of her mouth. "Hai. I'll be taking my leave then. Thank you, Commander General." Turning on her heel and swiftly striding towards the mahogany door, Katana grasped the cool surface of the knob, twisting and pulling it open in one fluid movement.

"Oh, and Kazekage-sama", she added urgently, craning her head back to look at him for one last time before going out into the soon-to-be battlefield. She waited, watching him as he turned slowly, raising a non-existent eyebrow.

"Yes?"

She smiled—inwardly, of course, because shinobi should blatantly show any emotion to anyone—and coughed lightly before speaking up in a low voice, "I love you." The girl looked up to see unfazed aquamarine staring at her blankly, the redhead turning back without a reply. Shaking her head, Katana snorted, closing the door little by little.

"I love you too."

The deep voice drifted into the air, ringing inside Katana's ears like an echo even as she closed the door shut with an audible click and walked away, her feet tapping rhythmically on the tiled floor and her heart beating inside her chest, this time certain and unafraid.

**End Chapter**

* * *

**P.S. **Who the hell is Kyosuke? What does he want from Katana? Could this be the start of another love TRIANGLE?! Dun dun dun. (Lol, suspense.) Stay tuned!

See ya next update! ;D


	42. Chapter 41 The battle starts!

**Author's Note: **Yes, I'm alive. I come in peace. Please don't kill me. XD

Ahhhh, I knew I screwed up, not updating since last year (November, if I'm not mistaken) but yeah. I've been bombarded with school projects, tests and group works and whatnot. Not to mention that I've been busy with my campaign as the student council president. (Sadly, I lost. But that's fine. :D )

Er, so yeah. Personally, I think this chapter SUCKS (It's kind of like a filler? Cuz yeah, nothing important really happened yet.)...Or maybe it's just me. I hope it's just me. Oh god.

**Enjoy and review...?**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 41: The battle starts!

The sound of gentle waves rolling around and splashing teasingly on the sandy shore made the waiting girl on the coastline a little calmer. She sat on an elevated boulder, face blank and expression unreadable, her aura deceivingly relaxed. Long brown tresses swayed with the direction of the salty sea breeze and Katana inhaled the air slowly, releasing it in the same way. Inside her grip was the hilt of her trustworthy weapon, her slender fingers absentmindedly tracing the pattern engraved on the handle.

"You should loosen up a bit."

Raising an eyebrow, she turned, smiling lopsidedly when her grey eyes caught sight of pale yellow locks and tanned skin. The newcomer gave the same lazy grin, his arms crossed over one another, his cleaver-like sword slung over his back. Snorting and turning her attention back to the beach, Katana waited for him to stand by her side before she spoke in reply, "Easier said than done, Darui-sempai." She said softly, twirling her sheathed sword carelessly. Then, as if realizing something, she frowned and looked at him, correcting herself, "Wait. I'm supposed to call you 'Taichou' now, aren't I?"

The older man sat down on the rock, his onyx eyes languidly blinking at the clear blue waters. His smile broadened and he pushed up his leg, propping an elbow on top of his knee. "No." He argued back without much effort, sparing the girl a quick sideways glance. "I think I like the title 'sempai' better, Katana-sama."

"That's Katana-chan for you." The kunoichi corrected once again much to the surprise of Darui, her gaze shifting to his startled expression as she beamed with mirth. "You always treat me as the Raikage's daughter, don't you? Can't you at least treat me like a subordinate for just one moment?" It wasn't much of a protest since there was no hint of annoyance present in her tone and yet, the Kumo shinobi still chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his tendency to apologize hard to resist. "Sorry, Katana-sama. Old habits die hard, after all."

"I guess they do."

Tranquil silence took its place between the two as their conversation ended, the only thing left to liven up the surroundings was the chattering noises of the shinobi in their background. Katana sighed once more, this time out of boredom, her eyelids lowering halfway. _It's not much of a war right now, is it? _She asked herself inwardly, her gaze fixed indifferently on the continuously moving water. _I wonder how Sakura and Tou-san are doing. I wonder if the others are okay…I wonder how Gaara is._

"By the way, Katana-sama…"

Craning her head to the side and grunting in inquiry, she watched the jounin's eye twinkle with underlying worry and guilt and she immediately blanched, frowning in suspicion and bracing herself for the incoming conversation starter; knowing Darui, it was certainly going to be unexpected. "Yeah?" She asked, the word rolling off her tongue and out of her mouth slowly, her tone sounding hesitant.

"The minute we engage in battle", he started, his dull tone and lazy lopsided smile covering up the nervousness he felt, "do me a favor and stay by my side, ne?" A confused frown and a downward movement of thin eyebrows was the given reply. "Why's that?" The girl questioned, her back arching as she hunched over to place both elbows on both knees.

Darui gulped at the query, his Adam's apple bobbing up then down before settling back in place, and fidgeted a bit from his seat, his smile twitching at the sides, his legs stretching out and his feet brushing against the sandy ground as if planning to attempt a quick getaway. "Well…" he sighed dejectedly, ready to stammer out his reason when a thought hit him hard and caused him to pause, his eyes blinking and his face taking a thoughtful expression.

"As the Captain of this Division…" he began slowly, coal-colored orbs staring fixedly at the open sea as if reading some invisible script that he has to follow, "…it's only common sense that the enemy will go after me with top priority. I need to have someone protecting my back."

The brunette sitting on the rock offered him a silent reply in the form of a deadly glower, her grey eyes taking a vicious glint in the sunlight. The man by her side flinched, a distressed laugh ripping out of his throat. Ignoring his chuckles, Katana pinned her intense gaze on him, her clenched jaw slacking only slightly as she opened her mouth to speak. "Someone to protect you during the fight…you never did need one, Sempai."

She grimaced, crossing her arms over her chest. "No matter how much I think about it, it sounds like a pathetic excuse to watch over me." Sighing and losing her dirty glare, the girl gathered her legs close to her body and placed her chin on top of her knees, her eyes sullen as she muttered behind her pants, "Tou-sama told you to take care of me again, didn't he?"

"Sorry", Darui said sheepishly once again, apologizing for the second time around, "but it's probably for the best, Katana-sama. We can't have the daughter of our leader dying on us now, can we?" Hearing the reply, a disappointed sigh escaped Katana's mouth, her eyebrows furrowed tight and her lips down in a frown. She glanced down at the sandy ground below them before turning to the side and giving Darui a fleeting glance. "Do you not trust me, Sempai?" She asked him with all the sincerity she could muster and for once, without the anger lacing her tone.

Blinking twice, the blonde jounin looked down to their feet guiltily, his mouth dropping into a thin line. "Of course I do. But I can't just ignore the boss's orders." A snort came from the girl and Darui looked up, sighing when he saw faint signs of a grimace present on the latter's face. "Katana-sama…"

"It's fine. I understand."

Gazing at the crestfallen expression of the girl, Darui swallowed hard, contemplating on his next words and taking a deep breath. "It's not just because they come from Raikage-sama that I follow the orders given to me." He drawled out in a low tone, glancing down at the ground and then back up to smile slightly at the gentle waves of the sea. "I follow it because I want to. Even with no order given, I'd probably still protect you with all I have."

The jounin could feel the girl relax beside him, his statement a reassurance to her of some kind. Chuckling and turning to grin at her lazily, Darui placed a hand on top of Katana's head, his tone sincere, "You're like the sister I never had, Katana-sama. You, Raikage-sama, Shee and everyone else…you guys are my family. And so, I'd do anything to—"

"—protect us. I know." Katana supplied, her lips quirking up in a lopsided beam. Grey eyes were fixed on the open sea as she spoke slowly, but somehow, Darui knew that her full attention belonged to him at the moment. "So…fine." She answered, letting out a defeated exhaled and shrugged carelessly. "You win. I'll stay by your side."

Her gaze darted towards him in a sideways glance and Katana's smile softened, "Besides, someone has to cover your back during the fight. We can't have our captain dying on us now, can we?" Glancing at the surprised expression of her senior, Katana merely sent him a calm beam, turning back to the open sea.

Closing her eyes, she took a lungful of the salty sea breeze and exhaled quietly, opening them and frowning the minute she did. Leaning forward, Katana squinted and focused on the suspicious white thing that caught her attention from a distance, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword in reflex.

From behind the waves of the sea, she noticed the thing grow larger, as if inching forward slowly. Another joined it afterwards, followed by another and another still, and soon, the whole expanse of the beach were surrounded by the white creatures. Katana tensed, her chakra in a frenzied state and hovering restlessly in the atmosphere. "Sempai."

"Hai." Darui responded immediately, frowning and clutching his sword in his own hand. "We've got company." Raising his hand high up, the tanned man gave his signal and reached out for Katana's arm, gently pulling the kunoichi away from the shore. "Let's go." Nodding stiffly, the brunette broke free of the older man's grasp and jogged further away, returning to where she was originally stationed.

"They're here." She warned her comrades with a tight grimace as she helped one of them up. "We better get into formation." The rest of the shinobi stood up, others drawing kunai and shuriken from their pouches, some checking their supply of explosive tags. Taking a deep breath, Katana glanced back at the shore, clenching her teeth when the sight of thousands of white humanoid creatures filled her view. _This is it…_ Quickly grasping the handle of her weapon, she drew her sword and took a defensive stance, closing her eyes as she willed her heart rate to slow into a normal pace.

From down below, Darui did a series of hand seals and welcomed the unwanted crowd with a nasty shock of his lightning jutsu, the black lightning that took the shape of a panther striking many of the creatures to death. Retaliating eagerly, the enemies sprung up, making their attacks overhead.

"Head's up!"

* * *

"Katana-chan, duck!"

Tenten's sharp voice cut through the numerous battle cries that sounded throughout the battlefield, taking the sword-wielding brunette aback for a short moment. However, her surprise went away as quickly as it came and Katana ducked obediently, shouting her thanks to the older girl covering her back as she speared a white Zetsu in the stomach. Her sword sunk into the soft flesh of the creature and a sickening squelchy sound emitted from it when she pulled it off, making Katana feel a little queasy.

_Ignore it, _she told herself, heavily swallowing the tight lump in her throat. Whirling back, the girl killed two of the creatures and sidestepped to dodge one that lunged in her direction. Swiping up a kunai from her holster, Katana slashed it across the Zetsu's white body and stabbed it on its chest, sending it falling dead to the ground like a limp sack.

Taking in a deep breath, Katana took a second to compose herself, one hand coming up to wipe grime away from her dirt-stained face and her eyes scanning the battlefield. On her right, a group composed of a Kiri nin, two Kumo and a Konoha shinobi seemed to hold their ground fairly well without any aid. To her left, Tenten and a few other shinobi defended the higher ground from the white Zetsus.

From afar, Chouza and his group were fighting the undead army, effectively fending them off. Her expression darkened at the sight of the animated corpses, her grip on her weapon tightening.

_Dead people's souls attached to vessels, hypothetically brought back to life to fight as mindless puppets. Edo Tensei…_She recalled unenthusiastically, remembering how Tsunade had informed them of this piece of knowledge back when they were still in Konoha, days before the departure.

The thought that a resting soul of someone who had already died would once again be woken up and shoved inside a body to serve as soldiers in a war against their own will…it was utterly disturbing in Katana's opinion. _Not to mention incredibly disrespectful and sickening. Only a total bastard would do something like this to win a war. I'm starting to hate this jutsu even more…And it's not just the fact that we're having a hard time either._

Deciding that break time was over, Katana forced the thoughts away as she dashed toward the shore and bit the handle of her sword to temporarily hold it, her hands forming hand signs. "Dendou Tsume!" Electricity gathered in her hands, her chakra taking the shape of sharp claws. Prying her hands apart, Katana ran, swiping at every Zetsu that blocked her way. Finally reaching her destination, she turned sharply, letting her back collide against Darui's as she took a quick breather.

"Seventeen, sempai." She murmured lowly with a small smile, her movements following the blonde's easily as they took down the creatures one by one.

Behind her, the captain grunted. "Ten." He said and Katana's smile turned into a smirk despite the situation they were under.

"Only ten?" She repeated in mocking tone, sliding down smoothly to trip a Zetsu, sending in tumbling down carelessly and taking with it some of its kind before she skewered them without blinking. Shooting up once more, she shoved Darui away just as a white creature charged for him, "Does this mean I'm already better than you are, Sempai?"

"Not a chance, young un. You still got a lot to learn."

Chuckling dryly and turning to behead a Zetsu that threatened to tackle her from behind, Katana sidestepped, bumping against Darui's shoulder. "I think I pretty much know everything that has to be learned." She answered and glanced to the side just in time to notice a Zetsu coming for her, her eyes widening as she sharply inhaled and jumped away swiftly when the body of the white creature opened in half like a flytrap and attempted to trap her in.

The shock traveled throughout her system and adrenaline rushed out into her blood for the first time since the start of the battle. Faster than she had thought she could move, the kunoichi jerked her arm back and swung her sword with a flick of her wrist, the action cutting the freaky thing in half. Letting out a ragged sigh, the brunette heard deep chortles from not so far and darted her gaze toward the laughter with a glare. "I think you're too confident in what you know, Katana-sama." Darui commented, offering a comforting smile despite his teasing remark.

"Oh, shut up." Katana retorted half-heartedly, trying her best to dissipate the adrenaline rush out of her body. White slime stuck stubbornly on the blade of her sword and Katana grimaced, wiping it away on a boulder nearby. Looking around, she noticed that she and Darui had managed to eliminate most of the Zetsus that surrounded them earlier.

Swallowing and shifting her weight back and forth on her two legs, grey eyes stared past the shore, focusing to where many more waves of the creatures were waddling their way towards the battlefield. Thin eyebrows furrowed deeply at the sight and Katana fidgeted on where she stood, anxiety churning inside her. _Just how many are in there? Is there even an end to them?_

Turning to her left, she staggered back as one of the said creatures pounced on her and Katana swore under her breath, her eyebrows furrowing as she struggled out of the tight hold of the Zetsu. "Dammit!" She cursed when her weapon fell to the ground and clattered out of her reach.

Eyes narrowing into slits, Katana jerked suddenly and shoved the creature to one side, throwing all her weight against it and sending both of them to tumble down the rocky ground. She wrestled with the white monster and found out that it was surprisingly weak despite its iron-like grip. A punch to the jaw had it dazed and the kunoichi took the opportunity to roll to the side, grabbing her sword in the process.

Stumbling back up just as the Zetsu pushed itself back up on its feet, Katana glowered, charging and plunging her sword deep into the creature's stomach, her sword piercing through its stomach and appearing out of a hole on its back. The girl grimaced at the putrid stench that wafted on her face—something that smelled like a mixture of dried blood, dead leaves and rotting flesh— when the Zetsu slumped dependently on her.

Sliding out her soiled weapon and letting the body drop lifelessly to the rocks, she turned her attention back to the beach, where the creatures rise and trudge towards them.

A sudden idea struck her and she kept her blank stare fixed, her hands meeting together in front of her. Still eyeing the sea, the girl unconsciously did a series of hand signs and then dropped to a crouch, slamming her palms against the sandy ground. "Kuroi Kago!" As soon as they words left her mouth, black bars sprung up from the ground without warning, spearing and impaling many of the taken aback white things. Self-satisfaction waved through her momentarily and the sound of Darui's pleased hum reached her ears, silently telling her 'good job'.

Behind her, her comrades let out pleased sighs and relieved breaths, all of them successfully defending their territory and preventing the enemy from infiltrating the coastline. Looking back, Katana stared at the older blonde, waiting for his orders and was surprised when she saw him turn his head back to glance at the base.

"You should take a break, Katana-sama." Incredulity filled her and for a minute, all she could do was blink at him as her mind registered the words. As the meaning slowly dawned to her, she scowled, her eyes narrowing. "I'm fine", she bit out, "I don't need rest."

"Your chakra level has dropped drastically low."

"I have large reserves. I'll be fine."

"That was an order. Rest."

Taken aback for the second time around, Katana's willpower crumbled down against Darui's expectant languid smile and the brunette let out a tired exhale, quietly glaring up at the tanned shinobi.

"Fine, _Taichou_." She drawled out in frustration, making sure the blonde heard the stressed word clearly.

Swinging her sword once, she slid it back to its sheath and trudged towards the base, the exhaustion and heaviness of her body just then seeping into her system.

* * *

Grey eyes were stormy and unfocused as they stared out into the open area before them, the brunette that sat on the edge of a low cliff distractedly counting the number of shinobi that scouted the place. Her eyebrows were knitted together in a downcast manner, thoughts brewing inside her head. _What are they waiting for? Why stop attacking..?_

Questions filled her mind and the fact that answers weren't available at the moment only succeeded in making her even more distraught. Closing her eyes, she leaned heavily against the sturdy wall of rock and reached up to clutch the hourglass that dangled from her neck, her fingers curling on the warm surface.

Immediately, her eyebrows relaxed, her grimace vanished and Katana released the breath that she'd been holding all along. She could feel the redhead's chakra pulsating beneath her touch, swirling inside, unraveling the stress and worry that was buried deep inside her. Heavy eyelids fluttered open slowly and the girl fixed her stare at the dancing sand, the particles sweeping across the smooth inside of the glass.

_Gaara…Look's like you're doing just fine. _

Sighing, Katana glanced away slowly, gazing out into the silent sea. The waters were clear, blue and calm, almost deceivingly docile to anyone who would pass by. _Like the treacherous calm before a particularly violent storm_, Katana contemplated with troubled grimace as dread crept up the base of her spine.

"Katana-san? Is that you?"

Blinking twice and shaking herself out of her trance, the brunette turned with a mask of indifference fixed on her face, her fingers dropping their hold on the hourglass. Grey eyes snapped wide open once they met warm, honey brown orbs, a soft smile and an overall bashful expression that belonged to a certain Kiri nin. Staring dumbly at the brunette boy, Katana relaxed unconsciously, her lips curving up in a faint beam.

"Kyosuke-san." She greeted slowly, allowing just a little bit of surprise to seep in her tone, "I didn't expect to see you here." She added, confusion taking over her face. As far as Katana knew, the boy belonged in another division, separated from them when the assembly began. Chuckling sheepishly, Kyosuke rubbed the back of his head, messing up his wavy brown locks in the process.

"Ah, hai. I was transferred here, actually."

"Transferred?"

"I'm a medic nin." Arching an eyebrow up at the sudden declaration, Katana studied him up and down, disbelief reflecting off her expression. In her opinion, he was much too buff to be a medic but she kept the comment to herself and nodded along.

"I was supposed to be in the medical division but as it turned out, Shizune-taichou sent out shinobi to act as the medic-nin of each division. I happened to be one of them."

Smiling, he crouched down before sitting beside her, his legs dangling on the edge of the cliff. "It's so the shinobi with minor injuries could get some quick healing without having to go to the main base."

"Shizune-san thought well then." Katana remarked as she glanced away from the boy, turning her attention back to the sandy shore. "It's a hassle for us to return to the base just to get shallow cuts and grazes patched up. If that was the case…" She trailed off, dry humor lacing the last statement, "then I would've just ignored my injuries until I bled to death."

"W-What?"

The incredulous gasp made the girl grin and she glanced at the shinobi beside her, her hilarity increasing when she noticed his wide-eyed stare. "I was kidding." She reassured then paused, blinking once before adding quickly, "Well, partly anyway. I am prone to being stubborn when it comes to resting and hospitals." Katana admitted in a sheepish tone as her grin softened.

The sigh that Kyosuke released ignited a raised eyebrow from her and Katana turned to the side to face him, her smile falling. "What is it?"

Brown locks swayed side to side as he shook his head and Kyosuke looked up, a faint frown present in his normally radiant face. "It's nothing." He said hesitantly and bit his lip, hazel eyes looking down then back up as he stammered out his next sentences.

"Y-You just…Well, you just don't look like a stubborn person, Katana-san. You seem more like an obedient shinobi to me…" He said, his voice toning down to a whisper.

"…Looks can be deceiving, I guess."

Quickly glancing up to meet Katana's gaze for a second, Kyosuke blushed and cleared his throat, looking away. "Hai, of course …but you know, ignoring your wounds is not a very good habit." He commented, changing the topic effectively with a feigned stern tone that had Katana smiling lopsidedly. "You could get infection, y'know."

"I know."

"A-And that's not very good. It's really, really painful."

"You're a strange guy, Kyosuke-san." Katana said as she resisted the urge to grin widely, amusement glinting off her eyes. "Lecturing a chuunin as if she was a three year-old girl…" She drawled out flippantly, snorting and crossing her arms over her chest.

Her companion chuckled from beside her, his legs kicking back and forth and against the rocky edge. Comfortable silence dawned between the two of them as both lost interest to continue their earlier conversation.

Glancing away, the kunoichi closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the cool air coming from the sea. There were still no signs of impending enemies and for that, Katana was grateful. Was this war going to be easy after all? Pushing the hopeful question out of her mind, she cast her gaze down on the shore, her smile twitching down when she saw stray particles of sand dance with the passing breeze.

A dull twinge set off inside her chest and Katana lowered her eyes, fighting back the melancholic frown that threatened to take over her face. For a second, aquamarine orbs and red locks appeared before her eyes but the girl willed the heart-wrenching image to vanish before she could even fully think of the Suna shinobi. She released a silent sigh and slumped against the wall by her right, her hair brushing past her face when a particular breeze chose to blow right at that moment.

_When have I become so…weak? _

The inquiry lingered on her mind for a few seconds before she opted to sigh again instead of answering it, the annoying ache inside her chest feeling heavy and tight. _This thing I'm feeling…why now? It's not right. It's just not right. I'm in the middle of a war._ She reminded herself harshly, fists clenching on the fabric of her pants._ I can't afford to get distracted. I should focus. Focus. No more thinking about—_

"They're here!"

The sound of alarmed screams and chaotic cries brought Katana back to reality, her eyes snapping wide open and immediately scanning the scene unfolding below. Through a narrowed gaze, she noticed another group of Zetsu clones trudging ashore, some already in the beach and attacking her comrades.

From afar, two dark silhouettes broke from the surface of the sea, silver and gold strands of hair slowly rising up to reveal identical faces, ashen white in color with whisker marks on both cheeks, their irises faded grey surrounded by pools of black.

Grimacing tightly, Katana stiffly rose from her position, hand already placed on the hilt of her sword. She turned to Kyosuke, whose face was scribbled with surprise and sudden worry, and managed a small curt smile, nodding once. "I guess I'll have to see you later, Kyosuke-san. It seems that we have…guests to entertain." She said aridly, her eyes glinting dangerously despite the calm beam plastered in her expression.

Ignoring the man's broken stutters of protest, Katana bypassed him and leapt down from the cliff, landing on the sand with ease. As her feet touched the ground below, the carefree façade she had melted away, eyes narrowing and jaws clenching.

With a look of irritation, her legs began striding towards the brewing fight, her footsteps hasty and wide as she fixed her gaze on the two newcomers that stood in front of the beach, their presence radiating off menacing chakra and a sense of haughtiness.

_These two… _Katana whispered uneasily to herself, taking noticing of the Kumo vest and clothes that they wore. The two men carried with them unusual weapons, the silver-haired one holding a gourd-like bottle under his arm and a sword in another hand, the blonde one clutching a large fan in his grip, a thick length of rope wound around his arm. _Kumogakure shinobi? They seem familiar. Tou-sama…Tou-sama told me something about two brothers who once—_

"Katana-san!"

Stopping as her name was called, Katana whirled around with a flabbergasted expression, completely forgetting about the chaos that surrounded her temporarily. "Kyosuke-san?" She whispered under her breath, her eyebrows knitting together in both incredulity and confusion as she stared at the boy kneeling near the edge of the low cliff.

The medic nin was looking down from where she left him, his hands cupped next to his mouth and serving as a voice amplifier. "Katana-san! I'll wait for you right here! Don't ignore your wounds anymore!" He yelled with enthusiasm, ignoring the angry shouts of his seniors from behind him. "I'll heal them for you, okay? Infection is painful, remember that!"

Mouth falling slightly agape as the girl was rendered momentarily speechless, Katana blinked back her shock and snorted, shaking her head as she sent the boy a half-hearted wave. "I'll remember it!" She called out and turned her back on him, her eyes gluing themselves in front and her feet running towards the battlefield.

_Kyosuke-san, you really are…a strange guy._

* * *

If there was one thing Katana learned from all the battles she has fought before, it was to never underestimate an enemy's abilities. And so, the minute she bolted off towards Darui's side to aid him, her sword was already inside her grip, her eyes swirling a steady black and gold.

_"How sweet of you to finally remember me, girl." _

The voice rang inside her head without warning and Katana froze, the brunette wincing as a sharp pang shot through her brain, painful throbbing following it soon after. Clenching her teeth and managing a grim smile, Katana swallowed back the tight lump inside her throat, trying to ignore the insistent pounding of her head as she replied inwardly, _Ah, I see you're here once more. Glad to have you back to pester me again._

"_Hah, drop the sarcastic tone, please. Weren't you the one who decided to summon me to help you?" _

The sides of her lip twitching at the familiar bickering, the girl sighed in defeat, cautiously in order not to invoke anymore painful sensations in her head. _Alright. Fine. You win._ She distractedly told the voice inside her, her gaze scanning their opponents.

Both men radiated an aura of power and danger, their lips curving into merciless smiles and their bodies tense, as if the slightest move was all they needed to go on a bloody rampage. _Just…Try to lessen the migraines, will you? _Katana uttered a curse as another pang hit her and she grumbled, rolling her eyes at the sound of snickers echoing inside her head.

_"I'm not going to promise anything, brat."_

Ending the mental conversation with a silent sigh, the brunette left her unseen companion back to the depths of her mind for later and resumed her hasty pace, taking a sharp breath once she reached Darui. "Sempai," she began with a breathless inhale, "need help?"

Sending him a brief sideways glance, she noticed the slight relief that crossed his tight expression, his blonde head bobbing up and down in response. "Assistance would be appreciated." He replied dryly, his low voice tinged with a hint of nervousness as his hand reached up to take the cleaver sword that was strapped on his back.

Hearing his response, the silver-haired man in front smirked devilishly, eyeing Katana with a predatory gaze. Reflexively, the girl narrowed her eyes and met his unwavering stare with a defensive glower of her own, ire easily overcoming the uneasiness she felt. On cue to her bold reaction, something inside her mind clicked and she grimaced, suddenly remembering a piece of information she would've preferably forgotten.

"You're the gold and silver brothers…Ginkaku and Kinkaku." Katana said in a deadpan, her grimace deepening quickly, as if the words she said left a bitter residue inside her mouth.

"Calling our names without proper suffixes." The blonde undead in front huffed in mock hurt—effectively bringing Katana back to reality— his vicious smile matching his brother's. "What a disrespectful brat." Cackling beside him, his silver-haired partner nudged Kinkaku playfully, earning a wider grin from the blonde.

"Easy now, Kinkaku." Chided Ginkaku impishly as he kept his gaze pinned on Katana, openly ignoring the outraged flare of chakra from the girl despite the way it sent the atmosphere around them in frenzy. "She's just a kid. Clearly, she doesn't know much about whom we are and what we were."

"I know what you are, alright." Katana snapped in offense, a growl threatening to rip out from her throat. Knuckles were white and cold as her grip on her sword once again adjusted to tighten even further around the handle. "Eating the flesh of the Nine-tails and gaining its powers... That legendary thing you did would never change the fact that you planned a coup d'état against the Second Raikage and attacked him. Legends or not, you two are traitors. "

"Watch your tone, kid." Kinkaku bristled, his temper rising once more at Katana's statement. "Before I shut you up myself." Chakra flared powerfully from both sides, waves of killing intent floating around them and sending the shinobi in the background to turn and make a hasty escape. Gold danced in pools of black as Katana glared, taking an offensive stance, ready to attack when two figures appeared before her and Darui, blocking their view of their opponents. At the sight of two blonde heads, Darui let out a large quarter of air, relief and confusion scribbled all over his expression. "Atsui—"

"Samui-san, what are you two doing here?" Katana continued, just as baffled as her senior. Her guard dropped a little from being startled and her grip on her weapon loosened, her knuckles and fingers aching from the strain. The woman in question kept her narrowed gaze pinned on the said enemies, never taking her cold blue eyes off them even as she spoke slowly, "We're backing you up. If those are the real gold and silver brothers from the history books…" the older blonde trailed off with her next words trapped inside her mouth, her eyebrows furrowing deeply. "I suggest you let us handle this, Katana-sama."

"But—"

"Think of it as a precautionary measure", Her brother piped up from her side, his thin lips quirking up in a challenged smirk, "how do you feel about us being your personal hotshot bodyguards, Katana-sama?"

Though it was said jokingly, the brunette behind them couldn't help the twinge that set off inside her chest, her jaws clenching tighter than ever in inner turmoil and frustration. Sucking in a comforting deep breath, she brushed off the comment and swallowed heavily.

Craning her head slightly to the side to look at Darui in a pleading manner, she inwardly hoped that the look in her eyes is more than enough to convey the message she wanted to give out. As if feeling a pair of eyes on him, Darui's gaze darted towards Katana and lingered for a few seconds before the man turned away again, frowning as he said, "At least let us help you in some way." He protested, jogging up toward Katana and stopping beside her.

Immediately, the scent of blood and death that clung to him wafted over her and it took every bit of effort for the brunette to not stagger with her footing because of the stench. "I've still got chakra with me and Katana-sama always had been reliable in saving our asses." Katana heard him say and the girl fought down the urge to just hug her senior then and there for the gratefulness that she felt; she opted instead to inhale sharply and jerk her head down in agreement. After all, Darui's statement would need all the support it could get and said support was very limited at the moment.

"Uh…how 'bout it, sis?" Atsui's voice was barely a whisper, his frown showing obvious doubt. Shifting from one foot to another in obvious discomfort, he spared his unresponsive sister a skeptical glance. Samui's expression was tight, clearly torn between her options. Silence fell upon the group, the tension increasing as the seconds went by and finally, the golden-haired man in front could take it no more.

"We ain't getting any younger waiting, Ginkaku!"

The impatient outburst was followed by a vicious wall of fire rolling in their direction as Kinkaku swung the ridiculous feather fan in his grip. Eyes wide as shock traveled throughout her system and ignited another rush of adrenaline into her veins, Katana jerked back, rolling to the side quickly and out of the way of the tongues of flame. Groaning, the kunoichi staggered to keep herself stable in her crouched position, squinting through the smoke.

Blurred figures darted in and out of her vision, a fight already brewing in the middle of the gray fog. Thoughts of the earlier conversation with Samui whizzed past Katana's mind as she got up to her feet and hesitation flashed in her gaze but the brunette shoved the feeling away before it could kill her courage for good. Sword at hand, she ran, lunging for the nearest enemy—Kinkaku, whose back was turned in her direction, the blonde man busy shoving down Darui's cleaver sword with his fan.

However, as soon as she jumped to give him a possibly large and bloody wound across the back, Kinkaku swerved with a knowing sneer, blocking her attack with his fan, one of his long legs bending and snapping swiftly as he delivered a nasty kick against Darui's chest. Taken aback, Darui took the full impact without much resistance and flew meters away, landing with his back scraping roughly on the rocky ground.

"Senpai!"

The scream was an instinct; barely registered by her brain as she clashed weapons with the burly undead, the shrill noise of weapons as steel handle of the fan scratched her blade drumming deafeningly against her eardrums. Anger pounded hard inside of her—so did worry, fear, hatred and all other things negative—, her heart threatening to burst open from the sudden rush of emotions that came coursing in. Despite the surge of energy coursing through her veins, her arms still felt like lead—delicate and unstable under Kinkaku's unyielding force.

"_I don't think it was such a good idea to clash with him, girl." _

The echo that resonated inside her head was followed by a dull throb of pain and Katana flinched reflexively, her hands jerking away with blinding speed but the golden-haired man managed to match her swiftness with ease. He struck for her front and she hastily brought her arms back up in defense, profanities escaping her mouth when her feet staggered backwards.

_Bad timing, bad timing! _She warned the voice inside irritably, trying to keep her concentration centered on keeping Kinkaku's weapon from burning her at the spot, all the while hoping that Darui was still conscious and breathing.

"_Retreat. You can't handle him alone." _Her curse advised in a murmur just as the brunette sidestepped and slid her weapon off the latter's, causing the burly man to trip with his own weight. _I'll handle him just fine._ Katana said wordlessly and jumped a safe distance away, her breath coming out in uneven, ragged exhales. Not a minute after calming her breathing, Kinkaku was back, with his fan in front of her again, threatening to break her blade by sheer force.

"_I don't see how you'll manage to do that—"_

_I'm fine! Just—J-just shut up for a moment, will you?_

"_Listen to me when I'm talking, brat!"_

Cursing lowly as she stumbled on her feet once more, she furrowed her eyebrows in effort, the beads of sweat that traveled down from her forehead stinging her eyes. "You're going to die today, little girl." Kinkaku cackled mercilessly, his putrid breath wafting over Katana's face and making her blanch.

"Can it, you rotten corpse." She grunted in response as she attempted to shove the man away but halted her careless movements after realizing that brute force was his upper hand and tempting him into a showdown of strength would be suicidal.

"What's this? Is that fear I see in your eyes, g—"

"Screw you. You're nothing but a bastard."

Racing thoughts whizzed through her head like kunai, ideas being considered and rejected in such a crazy pace that Katana thought for sure that she was going insane. Finally, a certain plan clicked in place and she did it with little hesitation, black flames combusting all around her. Immediately, the familiar sensation of prickling warmth surrounded her and she released an ounce of breath, glaring triumphantly at Kinkaku only to notice that he wasn't fazed in the least.

_It didn't…work…_Katana's mind stopped functioning as soon as the cruel realization dawned to her. Slowly, a maniacal grin grew on the blonde man's face and dread extinguished Katana's hope along with her personal shield. "Was that supposed to hurt now?" Kinkaku murmured in a mocking voice and the brunette's throat closed.

For once, she felt all witty replies leave her. _It was supposed to work_, she thought hysterically, her internal voice sounding angry and unstable at the same time.

_It always works. Why won't it work this time? It was supposed to work. Why doesn't it work?_

"_I told you so." _

At the painful throb of her head, Katana swore again, loudly. Her form was slowly staggering underneath the heavy weight, her wrists aching in protest. The familiar feeling of panic churned at the pit of her stomach when her arms gave in and folded completely, Kinkaku's fan centimeters away from her face. To say that she'd seem to have underestimated her opponent was an understatement.

For a minute, the statement 'I'll handle him just fine' came whizzing through her mind and she clenched her jaws, knowing that it had been a very bad idea to attack head on from the start. The intensity of the situation had clouded her judgment—not for the first time— and she wanted nothing more than to bury herself six feet under the ground for being such a careless idiot.

Torn between wanting to keep her pride and wanting to ask for help, Katana averted her eyes to the side, checking the rest of the situation and looking for something that could work to her advantage.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the siblings barely handling Ginkaku's attacks and Darui wearily shoving Zetsus off their backs while they exchanged blows with the silver-haired man. All of a sudden, the silver-haired undead swung his sword and caught Atsui by the arm, the blade making a slicing downward motion. Katana's heart stopped. The next few seconds went by in a hurry, as if everything was happening in twice the speed than that of normal.

Samui's frantic cry made the younger girl's ears ring, Darui's cursing in the background increasing as the Zetsus increased and piled up on him. None of that caught her attention; her gaze was fixed pointedly at the unmoving body on the ground, Atsui's eyes closed and his chest still.

Eyes frantically searching for any signs of life on the shinobi, for anything at all, Katana's ears barely registered the offended growl that her opponent let out and Kinkaku rammed his weapon against her sword impatiently, twin pools of total black glaring at her.

"I'm the one you're fighting here, girl." He snarled.

Just as she was making her decision, Kinkaku inched forward and all thoughts inside her head evaporated into nothingness as she turned back to stare with wide eyes at the silver-haired man's malicious grin, a searing feeling prickling her left cheek so suddenly where three of the fan's feathers had touched.

Shock reflected off her expression for a fleeting instant but it was gone as soon as it came, mind-numbing agony washing over her like a bucket of ice-cold water, freezing despite the blistering burn on her face. The stench of charred flesh hit her senses fast and made her eyes water—from the horrible smell or the pain of the wound Kinkaku engraved on her cheek, she didn't know.

Though Katana fought it stubbornly, her vision blurred against her will and bile rose at the back of her throat, her stomach doing rebelliously sickening somersaults as she felt blood leak out of the angry, red wound and down the side of her face like a teardrop. Swallowing back the sour taste in her mouth, Katana felt her face sting agonizingly once again and this time, hysterical panic flared inside her chest.

Trying her best to shove the man away—and failing helplessly—Katana bared her teeth, her knees already bent awkwardly and her head turned as far away as possible from the feathers that leaned in.

"Katana-sama!"

The enraged yell rang out in the middle of the silence and for a split second, Kinkaku's concentration broke as he distractedly jerked his head to the side to glare at a charging Darui and a giant wave of hope crashed inside the girl. Desperation overcoming her hesitation, the brunette gathered all the chakra she could get from her body to her arms and shoved the man away with all the force she could muster up. The result wasn't much; they separated a meter away or so when Kinkaku stumbled back, but the small distance was more than enough for the girl to take advantage of, especially in her situation.

Hurriedly jumping as far as she could go, Katana let herself trip on her own two feet and roughly land on the ground with her behind, her legs stiff and her arms feeling detached from her body as she watched her senior clash weapons with the undead without further thought.

She gasped shallowly, lungs burning, and held back the prickling sensation of tears in her eyes. Her brain was fuzzy, her vision swam, one of her ankles felt sprained and _dammit_, the wound carved on her face was still bleeding and painful and nauseating.

Then, as if remembering something horrible, Katana's breath caught in her throat and she jerked back fast, staring wide-eyed at the sight of Samui lashing out desperately at Ginkaku, her mouth deformed in a sneer, eyebrows knitted tight, red-rimmed blue eyes that were puffy from crying and wild with hatred and rage and grief. Breaking her gaze off the woman's form, her eyes darted towards the _still_ unmoving body that was sprawled on the ground far, far away and her heart jumped agonizingly inside her chest as she realized, _Atsui's dead. He's dead and he's never coming back._

Ignoring the pain that shot from her weak knees up to her pounding head, Katana bit the handle of her sword as she sprinted for the silver-haired, the sound of electricity crackling and a beast roaring trailing behind her. With anger pooling at the pit of her stomach and the thought of vengeance stuck at the back of her head, Katana leapt and slammed her fist against Ginkaku's side, taking him aback while his hands were occupied by two of Samui's swords, the brunette's hand ripping his torso open with the momentum.

Ugly words tumbled out loud from Ginkaku's mouth as he swore in shock, his body momentarily frozen as it took time to recover from the damage, patching up like puzzle pieces fitting each other, filling out the empty spots. Eyes flashing in a sudden surge of blood lust, Katana spat out her weapon, dropping it in her tight grip, and swung it down Ginkaku's thick head in one smooth movement, cutting him in half once more without giving him the time to mend himself.

Pitch black eyes with red irises darted to the side to glare venomously at her, Ginkaku's crumbling mouth turned down in a repulsive scowl. "_Fuck_ you_,_ you little bit—"

The pointed tip of Katana's sword whipped out all of a sudden and speared the back of the silver-haired man's throat and the undead choked on his words, eyes wide with incredulity and rage as the kunoichi drove her sword up further, her watery glare drilling a hole in his forehead. "Samui-san!" She barked out hoarsely, her hands shaking as she yanked her blade forcefully to the side, slicing Ginkaku's cheek and jaw as she did.

The older woman didn't need to be told twice, a sealing scroll already at hand and in the process of being flipped open. Strips of cloth-like structures shot out of the scroll once it Samui's blood hit the seal in the center, the bindings coming out to latch onto Ginkaku's torn apart body, surrounding him all around and ending with a red paper seal in the middle. The scroll swallowed him up and then rolled shut once more, both Samui and Katana running for Darui's aid the minute the blonde woman scooped up the sealing device.

"Buy me some time, Samui-san, Katana-sama!" Darui ordered, shoving Kinkaku back roughly with a grunt of effort and jumping away as the two girls took his place, the duo landing one blow after the other. The shrill scratch of blades stung their ears repetitively as one swooped down after the other, forcing back the golden-haired undead further and further away from where Darui knelt, completely vulnerable.

Clashing swords with the burly man for the nth time that day, Katana clenched her teeth hard, teeth grinding as her wrists ached from the pressure. From behind her, Samui threw explosive kunai to where Darui was, taking out the white creatures that threatened to pounce on his back. "Senpai, how much longer?" Katana called out, voice hoarse and raspy from exhaustion, her arms bending back forcefully against Kinkaku's strength.

"Switch."

Samui's monosyllabic command registered in her ears as the blonde woman swooped from in between her and Kinkaku and the younger shinobi wasted no time jumping back and balancing her weapon in between her clenched teeth, the two free hands she had now forming seals in a hasty pace. "Dendou Tsume!" Electricity crackled all around, the gathered chakra in her hands taking the shape of claws.

Pulling back her arm, Katana took three long steps and jumped, charging for Kinkaku's side, hoping to take him aback in the same way she startled Ginkaku and injured him. Unfortunately, the blonde undead proved to be much smarter than his brother despite his short temper and impatience. He leapt away before Katana's hand could come in contact with his torso, sending the kunoichi stumbling down before she could regain her balance, her body skidding through jagged rocks.

Gold and black orbs shut close as Katana maneuvered her body in a position that could possibly lessen the height of the injuries she'd get, the unkind sensation of jagged rocks raking down her side making her jaws lock tightly. A sharp pang of agony stung her when her head collided with a boulder none-too-gently, the pain reverberating from the base of her skull down to her toes.

A dull grunt escaped her dried lips as she pushed herself up with shaky arms and scrambled to stand up as fast as she could to get back to Samui's aid. The girl struggled with her sense of balance for seconds, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to clear out the blurry images. Everything was spinning.

She could feel something wet and warm trailing down her left arm, the liquid thick and heavy as it oozed down the length of her limb, the disgusting sensation making her forget the reason why she stood up in the first place. The same liquid traveled down the side of her head where it had hit the boulder—it felt cold rather than warm this time around—and Katana visibly shuddered when the crimson dampness crawled down her face.

Suddenly, the dark, thick blood was everywhere, hitting her sense of smell, trickling down her parted lips, clouding her vision, overwhelming her. The black and gold flecks disappeared as her eyes turned back to their natural stormy grey, her irises remaining unfocused and dazed.

She crumpled to the ground unceremoniously, uncaring for a moment that the thoughtless move twisted her ankle in the process. She half-sat, half-laid there, breathing shallow and slow, confusion fogging the inside of her head. She could hear Darui's shout from a distance, his roughened voice echoing her name. Katana knew he couldn't have been that far away, but her ringing ears told her otherwise, the sound drowned out by the mindless chatters inside her brain.

"Katana! Katana!" Darui was running now, with Samui behind him trying to catch up and both of them knelt down once they reached her, two sets of hands latching themselves on her face, her arms, her hands, her head—anywhere really, just as long as they get in contact with her. The minute their freezing palms touched her, the brunette jerked away as if burned and let loose a pained groan, her offended arm stinging badly.

"Katana, Katana—Shit, wake up." The older man rambled on, tapping her cheek twice with as much gentleness as he could muster, his eyes darkening with exhaustion, worry and concern. Unfocused grey orbs struggled to concentrate on his face and Katana absentmindedly replayed his words inside her head, mentally wondering when he started calling her name without suffixes.

"Sempai", she heard herself croak out, her voice sounding rough and breathless and slurred, as if she was intoxicated, "m'fine. W-Where's—"

"We've sealed Kinkaku", Darui said, "and no, you're not fine." Her captain argued automatically though obvious relief reflected off his expression when Katana spoke up. "You're wounded and bleeding and your chakra level is low." He stated, the furrow of his usually relaxed eyebrows indicating that he was upset.

He looked around with a tight grimace, his hands brushing away the hair that was splayed on Katana's forehead, the blood turning them a shade darker and making them cling stubbornly on the skin. "The medical team's on their way." Samui assured from beside him, looking more composed than he is as she silently checked Katana's pulse. "Nara-san sent us back-up from the fourth Division. Nara Shikamaru is leading them, if I'm not mistaken."

"Four…Fourth Division?" Katana stuttered weakly from below them, eyes blinking slowly as she struggled to stay conscious. It was proving to be a harder task that she thought, if the dark spots in her vision were to be considered.

"Isn't that—isn't that wh-where Gaara is? Is he here?"

Genuine confusion radiated off her question and for a quick second, Darui's frown dug deeper in sympathy. It was obvious that the redhead was still who the girl thought of all the time, even when blood was gushing out of her and she was barely coherent.

Instead of answering the puzzled query, the blonde man cleared his throat awkwardly, saying, "You need to stop talking and rest. I think you may have had a bad concussion when you hit your head."

"B-But…But Gaara—I need to know if he's okay. Is he alright? Where is—"

The sound of dozens of footsteps interrupted Katana in mid-statement, vest-clad shinobi from another division leaping down from the cliffs and aiding the exhausted ones. Jerking her head at the sudden noise, Katana gave her surroundings a quick sweep of her eyes before turning back to Darui. "What's happening? Are—are we under attack again?"

"No. We're fine."

Two other shinobi appeared in her line of vision as Darui shrunk back, giving the medic-nins the space they need to help Katana up. "S-Sempai? What's going on? Who're they?" There was a hysterical edge to Katana's tone that made Darui fist his hands in an attempt to calm himself down. "Sempai, I don't—" The sudden surge of dizziness overtook her and she halted in speech, half-lidded eyes blinking once, twice, before fluttering close.

**End Chapter**

* * *

It's going to get a LOT better the next following chapters, I promise. More Gaara. :D Deal?

**Meanwhile, tell me what you think?**


	43. Chapter 42 War can't break us

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 42: War can't break us

_Light…There's too much light._

It was the first sensible thought that entered her topsy-turvy brain but even then, Katana had to replay it inside her head a couple of times just to really check if it sounded right. She scrunched up her eyes in an attempt to press her eyes even closer and felt a dull throb at the side of her face, pain radiating from the sore skin down to the inside of her skull.

The persistent agony was everywhere. On her limbs, on her muscles, vibrating deep within her bones and pounding within her head. It felt as if everything was freezing cold yet scorching hot at the same time. Shifting slightly from her current position to regain a sense of feeling, Katana hissed under her breath, regretting the idea of moving when a sharp pain shot through her whole body like lightning. Clammy fingers curled around the fabric that was placed below her, knuckles shaking as they gripped it tight in discomfort.

Loud murmurs echoed from all around her, making little to no sense at all. All her ringing ears caught were broken fragments of statements and the occasionally clear words but besides those, none of it made any sense. The acrid stench of blood lingered in the air around them, suffocating Katana, making her pounding head hurt even more.

Deciding to take on one dilemma at a time, the half-awake brunette disregarded the stupid gibberish, instead concentrating on prying her glued eyelids from one another, trying to see clearer behind the bleary haze that overtook her sight. Much to her surprise, even with the blinding light behind her closed lids, the world had faded into a dark background once the girl opened her eyes fully.

Thin eyebrows furrowed deeply. What was happening?

From a distance, the sound of people chattering filled her ears, footsteps echoing silently as shinobi ran back and forth. Near her head, she could make out a pitcher, a glass, a kunai and some medical supplies scattered haphazardly across the tray, her sword adjacent with it.

"Oh, you're awake!"

Katana jerked her head swiftly at the direction of the familiar voice, halting mid-way and biting her lip from groaning in pain when stiff shoulder muscles contracted against her will. Sympathetic chuckles erupted from the stranger beside her and again she turned—slowly, carefully this time around—to face the man. Grey eyes narrowed as they took in the dark wavy locks, a pair of wide, earnest hazel eyes and the pronounced jaw of the person hovering on top of her.

She grimaced, her bloodshot eyes feeling sore and painful as she concentrated on keeping them open. "K-Kyo…Kyosuke—" Wincing when the rough, unfamiliar voice escaped her, the brunette violently coughed a few times, her eyes watering as she swallowed to relieve her throat.

"Hey…Here, drink up."

Not bothering two even spare the liquid a glance of doubt, Katana made a firm grab for it, allowing herself to be helped up in a sitting position and downing the glass empty. Groaning once she was done drinking, Katana clutched one side of her head, face scrunching up in irritation. "My head..." She hissed, making the boy beside her bite his lips to prevent a worried frown.

Taking in a shuddering breath, the girl wiped away the moisture that dribbled down her chin and faced the boy once again. "What happened?" The question came out as a pathetic croak rather than in the firm tone that Katana was aiming for and the kunoichi's frown dug deeper, her migraine not at all helping her sour mood and deflated ego.

Blinking back with obvious confusion, Kyosuke set down the glass and inched nearer, frowning slightly as he observed Katana with an unwavering gaze.

"You don't remember?" He asked, then grimaced deeper, pulling away and adding, "Nothing…at all?"

"I remember fighting, if that's what you mean." She said curtly and heard Kyosuke exhale heavily in relief, muttering under his breath something along the lines of _'thank god it's not temporary amnesia'_.

"I'm aware that I ran towards the battlefield and tried to help out. I'm also very much aware that I wasn't quite successful with that or I wouldn't be here, in pain and dressed in bandages." Katana responded as politely as she could and held back on the sarcasm, running a restless hand through her tangled locks and resisting the urge to sigh.

Try as she might, she found it almost impossibly hard not to snap at people in her current condition. Her wounds stung, her muscles were stiff, making every movement an effort, and her body felt positively drained of chakra. "Besides that though, no, I don't remember. I don't remember how I knocked myself out."

Nodding seriously as he listened to her, Kyosuke swallowed heavily and explained, "To tell you the truth, I don't really know what happened either." He admitted dejectedly, chewing on his lower lip. "All I know was that they said you guys needed medical attention immediately and so we medics ran towards the beach. The next thing I know, somebody was shoving me in your direction and yelling at me to do something about your being unconscious." He took in a deep breath and released it slowly, his eyes glued on Katana's hard expression.

"You had a concussion. A bad one."

"I—" All possible words died down inside Katana's mouth once the statement registered in her mind and she pressed her lips together into a thin line, uncertain on how to reply to the given information. "Oh…" She said finally, blinking in a slow manner, her eyebrows relaxing slightly as the fog of confusion inside her brain lessened at the explanation.

"You look surprised." Kyosuke observed with a stunned undertone, both eyebrows shooting up when Katana gave him a blank stare, one that was free of denial. "I…I take it you never had concussion before."

"No." Katana answered with undisguised bluntness, her tongue darting out between dry, chapped lips, "No, I haven't." Taking in a deep breath, Katana sighed heavily and swallowed, looking up, "How long have I been out?"

The sky above them was pure pitch black, the occasional star twinkling amidst the darkness. The girl's grimace deepened as she allowed the scenes of the earlier day to revolve around her head, the blanks in between filling themselves like puzzle pieces fitting in around one another.

Still, there was a gnawing feeling inside her chest, wordlessly telling her that there was something she wasn't remembering. "A few hours, I guess. Five hours, tops." She heard the boy say after a moment of thinking and she nodded absentmindedly, not wanting to break the silence that has taken over them again.

Grey eyes blinked once, then twice, slowly at both times. The same darkness welcomed her sight. _Better black than bright red. _Katana then added mentally as an afterthought, her eyes flying wide the minute she realized what had been missing from her hazy memories.

Unconsciously, her eyes closed in concentration as she tried to drown out the noises in the background, the battle unfolding behind her closed lids, everything repeating itself in black and white. Darui with his sword poised in front of him defensively, standing side by side Katana, Samui and Atsui appearing as back-up, Kinkaku forcing her down, burning her cheek. She remembered the biting heat of the burn, the way dried blood caked the edges of the wound and crimson liquid trickled down her face tauntingly, the way fear and anxiety clung to her like a second skin.

She remembered Samui's enraged shout of 'Atsui, you idiot!', followed by another scream, one that was made of heart-stopping desperation._ That's it._ The thought echoed inside her head and her breath hitched, throat constricting at the sudden build-up of had lost someone in the battle earlier. _Atsui-san…_ She remembered so suddenly and a pang of agony hit her, her brows drawing together in a tight, pained furrow.

Immediately, images filled her head, images of the blonde shinobi lying on the cold, hard ground surrounded by a pool of his blood haunting her. Her chest contracted stiffly and she released a shuddering breath, her clammy hands fisting the sweat-drenched sheet below her. _A-Atsui-san…_Samui's scream when her brother was attacked replayed insistently over and over again inside her hollow mind, reverberating in her ringing ears.

_Wait. No, stop…Stop. Stop it. _

She could feel her emotions stirring from where they were locked away, the anger, pain and grief that filled her insides taking her aback. She opened her mouth, intending to suck in a much needed calming breath, but instead out came a desperate choked-out sob and before the realization could even dawn to her fully, she was hyperventilating; her chest heaving painfully, mouth left open as dry sobs and broken gasps escaped, grey eyes shut tight and bitter tears of pain streaming down the sides of her ashen face.

Two large hands settled down on either of her shoulders, shaking her gently, a worried voice cutting through the deafening echoes of her sobs. "Katana-san? Katana-san, what's wrong? Katana-san, calm down!" Her shaking fists clenched tighter in an effort to obey the medic, the desperation to gain back the control she had on her emotions nagging silently at the back of her mind.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" _Everything, Kyosuke. My arms, my head… my heart hurts. _She wanted to say, the fact that she had lost a comrade and couldn't do anything about it searing painfully on her mind. Instead, the girl could only jerk away weakly as response, mouth dropping open as she drew in another sharp gasp. "S-Stop." She stuttered, surprised that she could even get the single syllable out in her current state.

"A-Atsui-san…d-dead—c-couldn't do a-anything…so much blood." She rasped out in broken explanation, one hand flying upwards and pressing down on where her heart was to try and calm it down.

Struck with the realization that her companion could only stare at her helplessly, Katana swallowed down her breathless cries, her free hand half-heartedly swiping at the teardrops that kept falling. "I—" She started in a croak, sucking in a breath and saying feebly, "I c-can't—breathe. I-I n-need—" Unable to express her pent-up frustration and agony, she banged her fist down on the tray situated beside them, a loud crack resonating as her hand collided none-too-gently with the hard rusty metal.

"H-Hey, calm down. Take a deep breath. Inhale." Taking her fist off the poor tray, Kyosuke instructed her firmly as he brushed away the wetness from her face, his warm palms soothing Katana's nerves and letting it out as calmly as she can with her heart still roaring inside her chest. "Exhale. That's it." He encouraged, one of his hands holding hers and soothingly rubbing it to bring warmth to the icy fingers.

After a moment of a few more pathetic hiccups and shaky breaths, Katana could feel her control of herself reigning in again and red-rimmed grey eyes trailed up to fix themselves on hazel ones. Tense silence was shared between them, one of which was broken by Kyosuke, the boy coughing into his hand lightly as he averted his gaze down.

"Are you alright now?" He released her shoulders and glanced up, peering through his lashes shyly as he took in the kunoichi's once-again rhythmic breathing pattern.

Letting out an unstable exhale, Katana nodded once, her jaws locking tightly at how easy her emotions flowed out like water from a broken dam. "I-I'm okay." Her heart still ached and her migraine was worse than ever but at least she had air inside her lungs now.

"Thank you." She said and put effort to make it at least a little sincere-sounding. "And…I'm sorry." She added afterward, lips pressed down in an embarrassed manner, her fists squeezing themselves painfully. "I usually have—h-have control over this. I'm sorry. I don't understand why—"

"Hey", interrupted Kyosuke kindly, one side of his mouth quirking up in a sympathetic smile, "it's fine." The boy said softly, meeting her exhausted eyes with his warm gaze. "We all have our moments." Chuckling shortly and smiling again, he stared down to where their hands were still joined in a loose hold.

The medic-nin blushed at the sight, startled, and reluctantly retracted his hand away. "D-Do you—" he coughed out, rubbing the back of his neck, "do you wanna talk about it? Talking helps, y'know."

Dully staring back with half-lidded eyes, Katana gave out a shuddering exhale and shook her head stiffly, blocking out the disturbing thoughts from entering her mind once again. "No." She answered and decided it was for the best, really. In her current state of unstable body and mind, it was better to forget the haunting reality and save it for later contemplation. Noticing the way the lad's hopeful expression fell apart in disappointment, she eyed him gratefully—at least as grateful as she could look with the dark circles under her eyes and her pale, tired face—and added. "But thanks."

Blinking twice and beaming lopsidedly, Kyosuke shook his head, unbothered by the brown hair that fell down his forehead, almost covering his eyes. "That's okay, I understand." He reassured, standing up from where he sat on her makeshift mattress and jamming his hands inside his pockets.

"You're showing signs of a post-concussion syndrome. The headache, the memory lapse, the lack of patience—" he pointed out, to which the girl flushed red in embarrassment. "—the emotional overload. Don't worry about it though. You'll experience the symptoms a few more times over the week, so don't be frustrated. Also, you'll have difficulty with sleeping but try to at least catch a few winks. With the right amount of rest and the help of soldier pills", he took hold of a transparent plastic container from where it was perched on the abused platter and shook it, dark green tablets rattling inside, "you'll be back in shape in no time."

"I—" Stopping herself short of protesting on the part about 'rest', Katana sighed and jerked her head down once in defeated agreement, "Okay. Thank you."

Nodding again as she trailed off, the brunette looked down to where her left forearm was bandaged, the white cloth appearing in her line of view again as her eyes darted down to exposed ankle, the same ankle she had sprained minutes after the head injury, just because she was too stupid to consider falling down properly in a much safer way. _Dammit. _"I guess I should go back to sleep." She suggested lowly, unable to bear the weight of the exhaustion and emotional burden any longer.

Kyosuke let out a hum of understanding and nodded easily, stepping back. "I'll take my leave then." He turned his back on her and proceeded to walk away, only to halt in his third step and give her a last smile, "I'll be at the medical tent if you need anything. Good night, Katana-san."

Katana managed a spiritless beam in return, her hand running through her messy locks for the nth time that night. "Thank you, Kyosuke. For taking care of me, I mean. And I'm sorry if I…" her smile turned rueful and she met his gaze gently, "wasn't being the best company tonight." His chuckles made her stiff muscles relax subconsciously and the two of them shared a beam and a nod, the shinobi then walking away for real.

"Good night, Kyosuke-san."

The brunette settled back down on her mat, her headache diminishing compared to the last hour. She took a few minutes of simply staring at the dark, almost starless sky, breathing in and out, trying not to think of anything anymore. The feeling of discomfort was still there, her body still aching and sore. Grief, sadness, burnt-out rage…they were churning inside her chest restlessly—relatively calmer now, but still present nonetheless—keeping her from sleep, just like Kyosuke mentioned earlier.

Unwillingly closing her eyes, Katana reached a hand up her neck, blindly groping for a thin string and pulling it out, and clutched the small hourglass. As if working its magic on her, the girl felt herself relax, the chakra infused within the necklace soothing her frantic nerves. The sensation and the gentle noise of sand swirling across the glass surface lulled her to sleep, the image of a certain redhead the last thing left on her hazy mind.

* * *

The next two days of war were nothing but unwilling trips to hell's place on everyone's part. The fights were equivalent to rowdy bloodbaths, filling their ears with enraged roars and desperate screams. Blood kept on spilling from both sides; there was no place left unstained by crimson—on vests, on weapons, on the dirt ground and all over the shore, painting the rocky cliffs a sickening shade of red.

Whenever the battles ceased, the first division found themselves taking into contemplation the problem about increasing corpses, dead bodies creating horrendous and sickeningly tall piles all around the previously white expanse of the beach.

'_This is gonna be a lot of work.' _Katana remembered the Akimichi clan leader, Chouza, telling her as he shook his head dejectedly at the sight of the shredded, unrecognizable cadavers, _'That's one thing I can tell ya, kiddo.'_ None of them had wanted to do the disposal job; the idea of piling up the bodies of your dead comrades—and dead enemies, fortunately—into an organized heap and then burn them afterwards so they could stop being troublesome was not at all pleasant.

But someone had to do it and so Katana found herself spending a surprisingly free evening alone after another session of what she'd learn to call 'throw and burn' with Chouza and a few other shinobi, her body sore and aching everywhere from all the carrying and heaving that she did. Her tattered Konoha vest reeked and was stained with dried blood and other substances that she'd rather not know, the once green article of clothing now reduced to a blotchy brownish moss color.

Grunts of effort escaped the girl that sat on the edge of the cliff she'd taken a liking to, sweat collecting in her hairline as she inhaled brokenly through her nose, bloodshot eyes trying to stay into focus. The left sleeve of her shirt was rolled up until her shoulder, exposing the dull red color of her cuts.

Eyebrows furrowed deeply in concentration, her eyes glaring a hole on the loose white cloth that wrapped messily around her forearm and dangled between her teeth. _Why the hell is this so damn complicated to do?_ Katana found herself asking wordlessly as she fought with the uncooperative bandage cloth, letting out another short growl when it slipped off her wound for the fourth time.

_Am I so useless now that I can't even do my own bandages?_

Spitting out the cloth out of her mouth as she gave up trying, she dropped it to her side and closed her eyes, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. A sigh escaped her mouth, eyelids pressing tighter.

_I can't understand this…this frustration._

Every movement was agonizing, feeling like a blow to the gut, muscles straining with every little shift in her position. _This paranoia, this guilt, this anger…I wonder where this is coming from. _The silence that surrounded her was deafening and cold, not to mention heartless; it left the girl alone with mental images of bloody corpses that she'd just interacted with and depressing thoughts of 'what ifs'.

They'd lost many men in the span of two days, several of which Katana could recall fighting alongside with. It was a miserable thing to reminisce, especially in times like these and Katana knew that. It wasn't as if she wanted to ponder on them any further than necessary; the thoughts came naturally and often times, the girl would ask herself quietly if there was something she could've possibly done to prevent another death that had occurred earlier that day.

If there was, why hadn't she done it?

What prevented her from saving a life?

Deep down inside, Katana knew there wasn't really anything she could've done at that time; she didn't know how things would go, it wasn't her fault. But somehow, it felt so much better to have something, someone to take the blame and blaming herself seemed like a good option rather than having nothing at all to validate all the overwhelming negative emotions she had been carrying since the day she had passed out.

_Maybe it's the head injury talking_, she told herself with a faltering stubbornness, feeling desperate more than anything as she began to make pathetic excuses again, _Kyosuke did tell me I'll experience them a few more times._

The kunoichi sighed again, her fingers reaching up to trace the dried wounds on her forearm. Pain stung her like sharp needles but the girl remained stoic, her touch fleeting and faint as her calloused fingertips danced across the scarred part. _These days I just feel so…so anxious. I c-can't—_

Opening her eyes slowly and drinking in the sight of trees surrounding the area, she inhaled, letting it out part by part. There weren't many shinobi left hanging around where she was staying; most of them, she had seen earlier briskly walking back and forth, either helping the injured or being helped themselves.

_Injured's better off than dead, I guess._ She can't help but add the sarcastic thought mentally, jaw clenched tight as unpleasant images filled her head for the nth time. Grimacing, she shook her head, disgust mixing in with the grief she felt.

"Katana-sama."

The voice cut through her thoughts of misery and self-loathing, the buzzing silence disappearing. Despite the familiarity of the deep voice, Katana found herself stiffening in her place, chakra scattering in frenzy as she cautiously twisted her torso to meet the newcomer.

"Darui-sempai." She acknowledged, shoulders sagging with unconscious relief, her posture slumping just a fraction. Much to her surprise, her right hand loosened its grip on the hit of her weapon that was placed on the ground beside her. She hadn't even been aware that she reached out for her sword.

Distractedly, Katana took in the sight of Darui's familiar face, taking note of how his normally relaxed expression seemed washed out, anxiety and worry dancing in his charcoal gaze. "What are you doing here?" She asked just as the older man pushed himself away from where he was rooted to the ground and approached the girl with careful steps, as if inwardly knowing that quick and sudden movements would make her flinch.

"I thought I'd check up on you." He answered briefly, dropping down to her eye level, legs thrown carelessly over the edge as he sat down on the cold, smooth rock. He faced forward to stare at the sky, where splashes of red, orange, violet, navy and fading yellow overlapped each other in a breathtaking way, but the sunset didn't enthrall him like it was supposed to.

Exhaustion was evident in the way his eyes were drooping more so than usual, dark shadows present underneath. The lazy smile he wore was nowhere to be found and with the additional grazes and nicks that he had on his cheeks and forehead, he looked downright wrecked.

"Chouza-san said you ran off the minute you guys finished." The blonde Kumo shinobi began, concern thick in his tone. "When you didn't return right away, we got worried." Sighing, he turned to Katana and managed a tired, lopsided smile of reassurance and comfort, both of which they needed badly.

Katana returned the gesture, albeit a little weakly, and said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to run off. I just—" she stopped, swallowing back the lump in her throat, uncertain of her next words, "I just needed fresh air. The smell was suffocating me." She reasoned lamely, looking down to her lap and frowning.

"It's been bothering you again, hasn't it?"

"What has?" Glancing up and meeting dark orbs, Katana beamed ruefully, her gaze shining with unspoken sadness, "Sorry, but you're going to have to specify. A lot of things have been bothering me lately." She said with dry humor and grinned slightly when the latter chuckled nonetheless. A short moment of silence engulfed them as Darui's laughter died down, the man letting out of huff before settling for a sympathetic smile, his hand reaching out to pat one of Katana's shoulders gently.

"It's normal…you feeling this way: jumpy, anxious, angry, emotional and just a tad bit overwhelmed. War tends to rip out a tiny piece of your soul every day and soon, you find yourself left hollow on the inside. Trust me, I know. I've been to war before. It's better when you don't think about it." He said as his warm hand slipped away, his attention returning again to the quickly darkening sky. "People who think about it often find themselves ending up in a mental institute or six feet below the ground earlier than necessary."

The bright colors were fading away, streaks of blue, violet and black taking over.

Grey eyes fixed themselves on the calm expression plastered on the blonde man's face, incredulity flashing off the girl's gaze as she kept studying her companion. Now that Darui had finally found her, it seemed that all his earlier worry had gone away; his face was slack again, the anxious creases between his eyebrows lessened and the lazy smile he had was back in place.

Katana didn't want to believe it, but she was nearly convinced that her captain was actually unbothered by all the bloodshed, all the heaps of dead bodies—half of which were their previously alive comrades—and that the only things he was concerned about were carrying out battlefield strategies and considering her safety. For a quick second, she was almost tempted to scream at him in frustration and envy.

How could he be so carefree? It wasn't fair that the things disturbing her mind, conscience and rare slumbers weren't pestering him in the same manner.

Before she could register what she was doing, her mouth opened on its own accord and the brunette heard herself asking, "How do you do it?" The older shinobi craned his neck to the side, arching an eyebrow in a mixture of curiosity and confusion at the sudden inquiry. "Hm? What do you mean?"

Katana sighed, body slumping dejectedly. It was no use taking back the question when he'd already acknowledged it. Clearing her throat and gathering her legs inside her arms, she perched her chin on top of her knees and repeated, "I mean, how do you get yourself to stop thinking? Why doesn't it bother you?" She asked, feeling a rush of emotions flow through her veins once more. Eyebrows creased together deeply in dismay as Katana recalled Atsui's death, the way it all happened so fast and yet in seemingly slow motion at the same time.

Sympathy crossed Darui's expression for a fleeting minute and his gaze softened in understanding, shifting in his seat to inch closer. The jounin bumped his shoulder against hers gently and offered her a sad smile when she glanced up with murky grey eyes.

"Just think of it this way." He murmured in a low voice as if sharing a helpful secret. "The harder you try to stay alive and fight back, the more people you'll actually save."

Exhaling and leaning back with his palms flat against the ground, his beam vanished, a thoughtful frown replacing it. "I used to be like you, too." He said, gaze distant and shiny as he reminisced a few years past. "I was two years younger than you are when I was first called into the battlefield. I was young, I was stubborn…" he paused, blinking slowly, "I thought and cared too much about things, focusing on the details instead of seeing the bigger picture. Let's just say I finally realized that what I was doing, I was doing for the greater good."

He craned his neck and faced the girl. "We're all in this for the greater good. Remember that this is what they wanted and agreed to; every one of us knew the risks of this battle." He turned to the sky again, now completely dark. So much time had gone by without the two of them even noticing. "Dying here is dying a noble death fit for a shinobi."

Looking down on the beach full of broken weapons and corpses below them, Katana wanted to argue that their deaths certainly did not look as 'noble' as Darui had put it but she nodded begrudgingly, unable to disagree with the logic of his tale. If she didn't want to be held back and kept safe in the first place, what made her think the others would want to be protected too?

Tiredly, she rubbed her face and brushed back her hair, staring up at the dark, moonless sky. It seemed like even the night was as restless as she was. "Thank you, Sempai." She croaked out, trying to at least sound a tad bit sincere. She saw Darui nod once from the corner of her eye and he stood up, making her turn her full attention at him.

"Going so soon?"

"It's already dark out." Darui replied simply and buried his hands inside his pockets. "I need to meet up with Chouza-san to discuss battle tactics." Pulling out his left hand from his pocket, he held out a rumpled piece of parchment to Katana. Taking it, the brunette shot him a skeptical look but the latter merely smiled and said "It's from Shikamaru" as a short explanation before biding goodbye and goodnight. Frowning, Katana pushed it in arm's length, eyebrows drawn together in the middle in confusion. "Why would Shikamaru send me a letter…?" Unfolding the note, grey eyes scanned the scribbled words thoroughly, her eyes widening as she decoded an inside message from it.

'_It's quite a challenge trying to catch a few winks of sleep in this catastrophe, isn't it? Gaara is holding out as long as he could, don't worry. _

_I'm exhausted. Alive and well are the men here, though, and I pray they remain in the same state until after the war. _

_Hope is the only thing that can save us from this situation now. You are probably as busy as everyone is, possibly wounded too. Are you okay? Too much things had taken place in such a short span of time. _

_I can't believe I have to recall everything that's happened for the written report. Had the world gone mad? A written report is unnecessary, don't you think so? Rather than that, isn't an oral report better? Unpleasant, that's what written reports are! Meeting up with Tsunade-sama would be a troublesome pain in the ass later on. With everything happening right now, I can't be bothered with a stupid report! My god, give me a break. Father is so lucky that he's in a high-ranking position; he doesn't have to do reports anymore, the bastard. But then again, being the strategist of the whole war is also troublesome. I'm torn between being thankful and feeling unlucky. Alright, let's wrap this letter up._

_Remember to stay rehydrated and clean your wounds to avoid infection, by the way. I do these things to prevent an early death. Love the view here in the mountains. You would be envious. _

_Stay alert though. Safe is better than too late.'_

_-Shikamaru_

The note crinkled at the edges from where her fingers coiled on it a little too tightly and the kunoichi had to bite down on her lower lip to keep a horrified whimper from escaping her. She remembered the conversations they had about the previous Kazekage well enough to know that the man wasn't a pleasant person.

It had been a sore topic for the redhead, so he avoided dwelling on it too much, but he at least had the decency to relay to her the important parts. _Gaara…_ She thought worriedly, a thousand thoughts and scenarios already crossing her mind. If he really had met the man just as he said in the letter, then was he alright? Was he wounded physically? Emotionally? Did that man scar him even more so than he already was?

"_Dammit_…" Katana hissed, closing her eyes shut as she willed herself not to burst out into tears from the overwhelming feeling of it all. She inhaled sharply, shuddering when the cold air stung her lungs and her sensitive nose picked up the stench of blood that lingered in the air.

_First, my comrades…And now, Gaara? _

Letting out a ragged sigh, the girl opened her eyes and clenched her jaw, her mind made up. She stood up stiffly, snatching up her weapon and tying it quickly to her hip.

"I have to see him…"

* * *

"Alright. Everybody here? We'll be leaving in five minutes!"

Katana's eyebrows rose in genuine surprise, hearing the volume of the younger Nara's voice. In her whole life, she'd never heard Shikamaru's tone sound so commanding before. Just what had happened in the battlefield that prompted the sudden change of attitude in her usually laidback friend?

Grimacing, Katana shook her head slowly and looked down to resume her earlier work of adjusting the straps of her holsters, deciding that whatever it was that happened, she'd rather not know. She'd seen and heard too much already, just from the past two weeks, and she wasn't sure she wanted more sickeningly tragic stories.

"You seem alright."

Katana's attention flickered towards the lean boy standing in front before her eyes turned back to the task at hand. She gave out a small smile, not quite happy-looking but welcoming nonetheless. "You seem okay yourself." She said and dropped her hands to face the shinobi fully. "I received your message."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, uninterested, and nodded once. "I presumed just as much or you wouldn't be joining our group." The Nara frowned then, as if remembering something he was curious about. "By the way, how'd you manage to get Darui to let you join us? From what I've heard from the others, he wouldn't even let you out of his sight." His dark eyes fixed themselves at the girl's tired expression.

Katana shrugged simply and walked to where her pack was situated, Shikamaru trailing behind her. The brunette took out her canteen and opened it, taking a mouthful of water. "How is he?" She asked, ignoring his earlier question. The latter sighed. "Alive." Shikamaru said shortly and sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's fine, Katana. Tem's acting as his right hand in the meantime to fill in for me."

Katana froze, her eyebrows furrowing. She narrowed her eyes at Shikamaru.

"Who's Tem?" She asked incredulously, a grin threatening to break out of her face.

Tense silence enveloped them as Shikamaru froze as well, his composed face draining of color as the realization of what he said dawned to him. He swallowed and turned on his heel, letting his back face Katana as he explained, "She has a very long name. Two syllables too long. It's troublesome to pronounce fully." The boy began walking away, his arms stretching up above his head as if nothing had taken place. "I don't call her that in her face, of course. She'd kill me."

"Right." Katana said, unconvinced, and she kept the grin even as she followed him towards the group. Rolling her eyes, she took her place, slinging her pack over her shoulders. "Too long, my ass."

"Move out!"

And just like that, the single phrase brought back the feeling of worry and gnawing fear, picking at the seams of her heart as she took off with the others.

* * *

The sight of smoke and overturned boulders that littered the vast desert was the first thing that welcomed Katana at their arrival. The brunette halted in her tracks, eyes wide as she took in everything. Shinobi ran back and forth, mostly in confused circles, many of them shouting orders from the top of their lungs.

The organized group that they had when they came had dissipated; everyone ran off into several directions. She was the only one left standing, glued to where she was, and she watched as chaos erupted in front of her, the familiar numbness spreading across her chest. The sound of an explosion snapped her out of the trance she was in and Katana's eyes hardened as she began running with the others.

"Fall back!" Someone from the crowd screamed and the effect it had was immediate. The sea of shinobi racing for the origin of the explosion recoiled as if burned and they stayed back when another barked order echoed, "No one is to interfere with the fight! Kazekage's orders!" The brunette tensed from where she stood—stuck within the unmoving crowd, in between a Sand shinobi and one from Kumo, elbows and shoulders unintentionally bumping and bruising her—as she heard the redhead's title uttered.

Grey eyes darted in front, wide with panic and suppressed worry, and Katana pushed herself on her tiptoes, trying to see beyond the vast crowd. Strings of curses flew out under her breath once she realized that it was simply physically impossible to see what was happening from such a distance and even when she squinted in concentration, hoping to narrow in on the scenes, the only things she could make out were tiny, dark figures of what could've been Gaara or even someone else, for that matter.

"Dammit." Hissing out in aggravation, Katana scanned the tightly-packed audience for a familiar face and caught a blur of yellow and brown from the corner of her eye. "Temari!" Katana yelled out with fervor, hope crashing into her system at the sight of the older kunoichi.

"Temari!" She called out for the second time around, pushing through people to reach the blonde that was standing just a few feet away from her. It proved to be a more difficult task than she'd thought; the crowd was compressed and the people were stiff and unresponsive, almost as if they were dazed into watching the battle unfold before them. With a few grunts of effort and unwilling shoves, the girl escaped the confines of the crowd and found herself standing beside the woman with four pigtails.

"Temari." Clamping a hand down on the blonde's shoulder, Katana exhaled breathlessly, retracting her hand when the latter swerved around in alarm. "Temari, it's me." The brunette said, her breaths coming out uneven. She took in a calming deep breath and watched Temari's deep turquoise eyes widen in surprise.

"Katana? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in another division? Did you come here by yourself?" At the flurry of questions, Katana swallowed and hastily shook her head a hard 'no', much to the confusion of the older girl.

"It's a long story. I'll explain later." She reassured, glancing around in worry and giving in to the frown that was tugging at the sides of her mouth.

"What's happening? Why are we standing here doing nothing?"

"Gaara's fighting against the former Mizukage." Temari said briefly, a hard grimace set in her features as well. "Tsuchikage-sama is with him but it's hard to predict the outcome of the fight." The blonde released a silent sigh, a flicker of sisterly concern and protectiveness dancing across her gaze.

"The second Mizukage was known to be an impeccable genjutsu user." Temari clenched her jaws unconsciously as ropes of sand flew into the sky—no doubt belonging to Gaara—catching both their attentions for a quick moment. "We've been attacking him relentlessly for a few hours now and yet all we've accomplished was to destroy some fake copies of himself."

"I see. How long have they been—"

A sudden explosion interrupted her and both women staggered back at the sound, the rest of the audience falling into an echo of worried gasps and hasty murmurs. Placing an arm in front of her face to shield her eyes from the dry gust of air that followed, Katana narrowed her gaze and gritted her teeth.

"This is insane!" She snarled, her free hand curling into a tight fist. "How can we just stand here? We have to do something!"

"Trust me; we tried, Katana." Temari placated in a calm tone, setting her hand down on Katana's arm. "If we interfere, we're just going to be burdens."

"But—"

"Katana, he's going to be fine." The older one said shortly, making her pause. Katana fell silent, her glare dropping to the sand below their feet. It wasn't fair; her fiancé was fighting against someone possibly stronger than him and risking his life, with nothing but an old man to act as his back-up and there they were, standing far away and watching and being so completely useless. Katana could feel her blood boiling just from the thought of it all.

A hand settled down on her shoulder gently and she looked up, jaws still locked despite the comforting green eyes that held her glare in place.

"He'll be fine. He's been through tougher situations. Gaara can handle this."

Another set of detonations erupted and the crowd shared a chorus of horrified gasps, Katana's heart skipping a beat at the noise and her grimace deepening. She inhaled sharply, letting it out as a shaky sigh and glanced at the battlefield before snapping her eyes back to Temari.

"You don't know that." She murmured grudgingly, her voice overpowered by the noise of the people that surrounded them but the blonde caught it. "He's fighting with someone who's using makeshift bombs. Who does that remind you of?" She asked bitterly, familiar images of a certain blonde bomber flashing before her eyes and leaving her mouth tasting like ashes. She could still remember fighting against the Akatsuki member, could vaguely recall falling from the sky while clutching Gaara's cold body in a death grip, a deafening boom chasing them.

Beside her, Temari's breath hitched in realization but she scowled and tilted her chin up in a stubborn manner.

"Gaara can do it." She insisted.

"He could _die_. _Again_." Katana pointed out angrily, grey eyes flashing with hidden fear. "He died once and he was lucky to have someone there to bring him back but what about now? Chiyo-baa-sama's not here anymore and I'm certain there's no one else that could perform a reviving jutsu." Clenching her hands into fists until her knuckles were white with pressure, she unwilling shifted her attention towards the fight, flinching when yet another explosion occurred. Screams and frustrated shouts were heard on the battlefield and the people in the front lines of the crowd fell into a tense silence.

"He was willing to risk himself for the safety of his people before. Who's to say he's not going to attempt that again?" Desperation laced her unstable voice and the blonde by her side could only frown helplessly, her moss-colored eyes flickering back to the battle.

Worry bubbled up in the pit of her stomach as Katana kept her gaze trained to the sky, holding her breath as she searched for any sign of the redhead. "C'mon, Gaara…" she whispered hoarsely to herself, grey irises darting from side to side, scanning the whole expanse of the sky anxiously.

_Do something…anything…just please, show me you're safe…_

An ear-piercing explosion erupted violently—more so than the previous ones—and everyone took a fearful step back, the roar that echoed after it filling their ears and shaking the ground they were standing on. Sand and scorching, dry wind rushed towards them and with wide, alarmed eyes, Katana fell on her knees and ducked for cover, just like everyone else did.

She shut her eyes close, her teeth clenched and muscles stiff in pain as the blistering air blew by her, stinging her arms and face, and she waited for the noise to fade away, the ground underneath her hot and dry and blistering her knees.

_Gaara, stay safe. Stay safe. Stay safe, please._

"This is the sand shield!"

"K-Kazekage-sama….Kazekage-sama protected us!"

"We're alive…Alive! We're alive!"

"Where is Gaara-sama?"

Tentatively, her eyelids fluttered open at the grateful cheers and overwhelmed cries, her gaze instinctively traveling up to the sky. Grey eyes widened and the girl's mouth fell agape as she drank in the sight of a gigantic statue of a woman made out of sand, her arms raised up and around the crowd, creating a protective dome around them and blocking their view of the battlefield.

Awe struck her for a moment and along with the crowd, Katana released a choked-out chuckle of relief, a small smile subconsciously appearing in her face. "This is…" She turned to the side and spared Temari a concerned glance and she noticed the blonde gazing at her with a satisfied smirk on her face. Rising from where she was kneeling on the ground, the older girl pulled up Katana with her, both of them sharing a knowing grin.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Temari remarked, pride flashing through her dark green eyes, her gaze unusually soft as she stared at the carved wall of sand, her tone coated with fondness. "Gaara discovered this right after he confronted our late father…"

As the redhead's name finally clicked in her dazed mind, the smile on her face melted away into a mask of horror and gut-wrenching nausea, just then realizing what was terribly wrong with the situation. "Katana..?" Temari asked after a brief pause, her own smile slipping out of her expression as she scrutinized the younger kunoichi with concern. "You okay?"

The question was barely registered by her ears, the drumming of her pulse and the thunderous echo of the boy's name drowning out Temari's voice. "Gaara." The brunette breathed out lowly, her heart stopping; saying the name out loud felt like a punch to the gut. Scrambling to gather her scattered thoughts and unable to form a coherent sentence to explain, Katana turned on her heel and ran, much to the shock of her companion.

"Katana, where are you going?" The blonde demanded, hand lashing out in an attempt to grab and pull back the girl but Katana slipped away faster than she expected. "Katana, get back here! You can't go there!" Temari demanded anxiously, shoving away the shinobi near her to run after the brunette. "Katana!" Cursing under her breath as she lost sight of the younger kunoichi, Temari shook her head in frustration and released a loud sigh. "That girl…"

* * *

"Dammit, Gaara."

Brown eyebrows were drawn together in the middle, knitting tightly in barely concealed rage and anxiety. Sweat traveled down the sides of her face, mixing with the sand and dirt that clung to her skin. Eyes were narrowed, red-rimmed—irritated from the dust that the wind carried along, and glassy with emotion. Katana swore loudly in anger as she pushed the shinobi out of her way, the profanities spilling out of her making the people near her recoiling back by themselves and stepping away from her furious aura.

The glares and dirty looks thrown in her way were all but ignored by the brunette, her brain registering nothing but a certain redhead. "Stubborn, noble bastard…" She hissed out next, the stifling atmosphere that resulted from being in the compressed crowd flaring her temper up even more. "He promised, that jerk…!"

Shoving away the last remaining line of soldiers than blocked her way, the girl jogged past the giant wall of protective sand, exhaustion latching onto her legs and shaky knees.

"Hey, you can't go in there! Kazekage's orders!"

Katana paid no attention to the shouts of warning coming from the shinobi she left behind and continued on her way, stormy grey eyes set in a cold glower. A permanent-looking scowl was etched on her face and she dashed towards the battlefield with all her remaining strength, despite the heavy weight on her shoulders. The few numbers of shinobi present in the open area turned to her hastily, stunned at her appearance and sudden entrance.

"O-Oi", one of them stuttered as she trudged past them to reach the area with the most sand, "stop right there!" He reached out to stop her, hand grabbing the sleeve of her shirt. The girl whirled around in a shockingly fast pace, her glare flashing to the man's direction and causing them to back off in surprise. She grimaced at them before averting her eyes to the ground and turning her back at them to continue walking.

"It's fine." She called out to them curtly, picking up her brisk pace. "Kazekage-sama knows me." Pausing in her tracks, she craned her head back to look at them again—to which the soldiers reacted with a few scared flinches and took several steps back—and said, "You should follow me. They might be in need of assistance."

"B-But…the bombs—"

"The explosions stopped a while ago, didn't they? Let's go. They need help in the sealing process."

Facing forward and not bothering to wait for them any further, Katana ran to where she noticed a rather eye-catching pyramid, no doubt some kind of sealing jutsu. As she neared, she realized that a head was poking out of the very top of the structure and even more surprisingly, it was still speaking to someone below. "Your friend's kind of dorky, compared to you, Kazekage…" She heard it say and her glare returned, her heart pounding nervously inside her chest despite her angry appearance.

Relief crashed into her like a wave of cold water, shocking her whole system into temporary numbness and her muscles relaxing against her will.

_He's alive…Gaara's alive._

The brunette walked around the pyramid and saw two figures, both men; one blonde and the other gifted with blood red locks. Her attention shifted towards the blonde one in disbelief. "Naruto?" Katana asked incredulously, her voice startling the two shinobi and causing them to turn to her direction. Her breath caught in her throat as the boy in question faced her, familiar whiskered cheeks and a large, surprised grin brightening the boy's already cheerful expression.

"Katana-chan." Naruto acknowledged with a broken laugh, tears of nostalgia welling up in his eyes. Despite her earlier anger, Katana could feel her lips quirking up in a hopeful grin, happiness enveloping her as she watched her friend run excitedly towards her. "Katana-chan!"

"Naruto, you're here!" She chuckled out hoarsely as the blonde crashed into her and tackled her inside a bone-crushing hug, lifting her up and twirling her in the air easily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed tearfully, breathing in and inhaling the familiar scent that he had.

"God, I missed you." She sighed out contentedly the minute he let her feet touch the ground again, her arms slipping down from his shoulders.

Naruto pulled back slightly and gave her a watery grin, sniffing as he said, "I missed you too, Katana-chan. I missed you and Sakura-chan and Kaka-sensei and Tsunade-baa-chan and Hinata-chan and idiot Kiba and—"

"Katana?"

The velvety voice, full of confusion and relief alike, interrupted the blonde's rambling and both friends whirled around to face the dazed redhead, whose aquamarine eyes were trained only at the girl. Grey eyes met familiar aquamarine and Katana's pulse jumped up, racing inside her and running miles at the breathtaking sight of the boy. They shared a look, their gazes softening unconsciously as they took in each other's appearance.

_Gaara…you're okay. You're okay. I was so worried… _

Although relieved and happy and very much grateful of the fact that he was alive, once broken out of the reverie, Katana narrowed her eyes in realization and scowled at the redheaded shinobi, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.

_Gaara, you jerk... you had me worried. I was so worried and for what? This…this jerk, this bastard—this stupid, stupid Kazekage—_

Naruto blanched, his sapphire orbs shifting to his redheaded friend. "Oi, dude, she's not happy." He pointed out nervously, swallowing.

"You." Katana bit out harshly, letting her earlier fury wash over her again. Slowly, she left Naruto's side and made her way towards the dumbstruck Kage, stomping angrily on the sand. She halted in front of him, glowering him down despite the visible height difference. Gaara's dark-ringed orbs were uncharacteristically wide as they focused themselves on the brunette's seething expression and he stared without a care, seemingly entranced by the girl's mere presence.

"Katana…" he breathed out softly, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine and the kunoichi cursed herself for reacting, her jaw clenching even harder.

"You…" she repeated again in a hiss, undeterred by the look of plain adoration on the boy's face, her balled fists shaking in irritation. "You bastard." The profanity snapped Gaara out of his daze and back to reality and the lean young lad blinked in shock, his mouth turning down in a small frown of confusion.

"What…?"

The redhead watched as the girl snapped her eyes to the ground, glancing around as if in search of something, her mouth still contorted in an enraged grimace. Katana crouched down and swiped her hand hastily on the ground, balling them and standing up once more. Finally, her glare flickered back to him.

"You stupid, _stupid_ bastard!" Katana ground out through gritted teeth and flung the handful of sand she held at the boy, swearing in frustration when he dodged it just in time before it collided with his face. "You idiot!" She screamed again, kicking the sand to his direction childishly, her chest heaving in anger and frustration and exhaustion, the three dominant above all other emotions.

Staggering back a safe distance away from the furious girl, Gaara stared at her dumbly, speechless, "Katana…I—"

"No!" The brunette snapped angrily, letting her fists fall back down to her sides again. "You don't get to talk. You promised, Gaara! You promised me you'd stay alive and what did you do? You—!"

"I am alive." Gaara said hesitantly with a confused frown, reaching out to grasp her wrist. Eyeing his outstretched hand, Katana jerked away grudgingly, glowering at him. "Just barely!" She said and let out an exasperated sigh, closing her eyes shut and running a hand through her hair as she felt the exhaustion finally catching up with her.

"You fought single-handedly against a skilled shinobi who uses bombs…for the second time now." She told him, her voice drained out of anger, worry and fear the only ones left. She pressed her lips tightly as she continued her sentence, "You could've died. You could've died again and I couldn't have done anything about it anymore. I saw you dead once, Gaara. Once was painful enough already. I saw you dead once and it was because of him, because of that—t-that…"

She stopped in mid-sentence when she felt two large hands settle down the sides of her face, warmth radiating from the callous palms seeping into her cheeks and long fingers curling into her brown locks. Against her will, tension left her body and reluctantly, she opened her eyes, staring up at the sea green orbs that looked down at her.

Gaara's expression was gentle, apologizing and Katana couldn't prevent the way her heart drummed mockingly against her chest, especially when the redhead leaned in and brought his forehead down on hers.

"I'm sorry." He said in a repentant whisper, his lips close enough to brush against her mouth as he spoke. "I'm sorry I worried you." This time, he ended his sentence with a chaste kiss, pressing his mouth on hers in an innocent manner. "I'm sorry I scared you."

His strong arms wrapped around her smaller frame, resting on her hips as he pulled her closer. Body sagging and molding against his, Katana reached up and ran her hands through his surprisingly soft hair, relishing the way it slipped out of her fingers smoothly. Tiredly, she allowed her head to fall down on the juncture of his neck and felt the redhead press another kiss on the top of her head.

Inhaling in the scent of sand and lingering cinnamon, Katana swallowed and sighed out in fatigue. "I'm sorry I threw sand at you." She murmured in embarrassment, smiling a little when she heard his amused snort. Their shared moment was cut short by a confused grunt and the couple broke apart, looking up at the man stuck at the top of the pyramid the same time Naruto did.

"I don't get it." The sealed man said, frowning and his eyebrows quirked up. "First, she hugs that dorky kid and they have this happy reunion of sorts and then, she yells at you and you kiss her." He addressed Gaara and stared at him for a little while longer before finally asking, "Whose girl is she really?"

Not far away from them, Naruto laughed sheepishly. "She's just my best friend, old man." He answered with an enthusiastic grin and then turned to the side to wink teasingly at Gaara. "To Gaara, however…"

"I'm his fiancée." Katana answered abruptly with no definite emotion on her voice, curiously eyeing the man atop the triangular structure. "You must be the Second Mizukage."

"Damn, I didn't know I was this famous." The blonde Kage remarked mockingly with a smirk before shifting his attention at Gaara again, this time with a genuine smile. "You're quite the guy, Kazekage-sama. A 'golden duckling' to put it short." He chuckled. "And by the way, you and that crazy girl beside you make an attractive couple. Just sayin'."

"…Thank you." With a flick of his wrist, sand flew at his command and sealed up the resurrected Mizukage completely.

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm sad to say that this story's coming to an end. A few more chapters and I'll wrap it up.

Oh, and also, for the message Shikamaru sent, **Take the first word of each sentence to decode the hidden message. The hidden message is:** _"It's Gaara. I'm alive. Hope you are too. I had a rather unpleasant meeting with my father but I'm alright. Remember, I love you. Stay safe."_

**Remember to review! I love you guys! :D**


	44. Chapter 43 Facing fears

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! :) I come bearing gifts. XD

I filled this chapter with some GaaraXKatana action. Hope it makes your day. And I hope you rethink about wanting to kill me for not updating for so long. Ahahaha. Anyway, I've been busy. Really busy. I never knew that being a senior in high school could be so troublesome. -.-"

Erm, enough ranting. Ahem.

**Enjoy and Review!**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 43: Facing fears

The constant flickering of the dim light of the oil lamp that was placed on top of the table was causing Katana's head to spin uncontrollably. Outside, the moon was high out on the otherwise dark sky, looking like an unoccupied spot in the middle of a paper dripping with ink.

The occasional commanding shout erupted from the busy stream of people who traveled back and forth, sounding so soft and muffled compared to the continuous stomping of aching feet and running legs. From behind the heavy flaps of the tent, a different kind of noise was making the girl's ears ring with the intensity of it. Her thoughts were endless, chattering on without a pause, and so, so large in number that the buzzing inside her head just wouldn't stop.

Bloodshot grey eyes stared wearily at the dark ceiling of the tent, the question of how long she had been awake lingering in the back of her mind. She frowned at the darkness clinging around the corners of the makeshift room. The burning fire from the lamp could only reach so much.

Blinking slowly, Katana released a silent breath of fatigue, nimble fingers combing through her hair, lightly massaging her scalp to try and ease the dull pain throbbing from inside her head. She had woken up after minutes of what seemed to be the most restless nap; the chaos outside kept stirring her back into consciousness.

Paranoia was not an uncommon visitor to shinobi, especially right now, given their line of work and the dangers it brought to them—but the girl found herself hating having heightened senses and mind-numbingly quick reflexes for the first time. She found herself jumping at every little thing, whether harmless or otherwise, her sword seemingly always finding its way back onto her grip every few seconds; it was ridiculous, dangling on the edge of being considered pathetic.

Pushing the nagging thought away, she took a deep breath and closed her half-lidded eyes when a particularly cool breeze entered the tent, the girl relishing the comfort brought by the refreshing sensation.

"You're still awake."

Barely seconds after the first word resonated inside the tent, Katana managed to scramble into a defensive position, arms in front with her hands gripping the handle of her sword tightly. Her scowl and glare fell into something less threatening as soon as the familiar red hair entered her eyes.

"Gaara." The brunette croaked out hoarsely, shoulders dropping. "You startled me." Silent frustration hung heavy on her words and the girl wanted nothing more than to scream, to let go and release the things churning inside her until she was drained of energy. Perhaps then, she'd be able to at least sleep more comfortably.

"I didn't mean to." Gaara replied back in a soft tone, eyeing her hand on the weapon with understanding. He knew what it was to feel as if every single thing was after his life, desperate to hurt him—he had spent twelve years living in terror and hatred, after all—and he was in no doubt that everyone in the camp felt the same. It dawned to him that even Katana wasn't an exception.

"I'll try my best not to do it again." Nodding grimly, Katana turned away and flung her sword off to a far corner, not even bothering to see where it landed. Maybe she was better off not knowing where her weapon was all the time.

"Where's Naruto?" She asked, stopping him short of walking away from the entrance.

"Gone." Gaara said with an inaudible sigh, distractedly brushing away the crimson locks that stuck on his forehead. "The one we had with us earlier was merely a clone. We sent him away as to not waste any more of Naruto's chakra." The redhead approached her slowly, his footsteps cautious and soft, kneeling down until they were of eye level.

"I see. I'm glad I had the chance to speak to him before he had to go..." Katana trailed off, meeting the gaze of the shinobi before her. They shared a moment of peace, both faces blank and guarded as they studied each other.

"I take it you received the letter I sent." Gaara broke the silence but kept staring at the girl's face, looking for any emotion present in her expression. He found none, save for the dullness of her tone as she nodded in affirmation and said, "Yes. My captain handed it to me just in time before Shikamaru's squad left. I went with them as soon as I discovered your hidden message." Frowning, Gaara reached for one of her hands and covered it with his, stroking the icy skin soothingly despite the clear disapproval in his voice, "You didn't have to come here."

Katana shrugged easily. "I did anyway."

"Why?"

"I wanted to."

"I thought I indicated in the message that I was alive and well."

"You did." Raising an eyebrow at the hint of defensiveness in the latter's tone, Katana fought down the smirk of amusement tugging at the corners of her mouth despite her exhaustion. "I had to make sure you weren't lying though." She retorted, keeping her tone light-hearted. "You could've been bleeding to death while you wrote that and I would've never known." Grinning to make sure the boy understood that she was merely joking, Katana chuckled weakly and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze but not before adding one last teasing remark. "Don't you think so?"

Tension left the redhead at sight of the girl's tired smile, his grimace dissolving, and Gaara managed a small weary beam in return. He sighed and dropped his head, shaking it slowly. "I would never do that to you. I wouldn't…" He murmured softly, focusing his gaze on their joined hands. "You know that, don't you?" Unwillingly, Katana's grey eyes softened and the teasing grin she wore faded away into something more heartfelt.

"I know." She replied, voice dropping in the same whispering manner as she watched him play with her hand. "I trust you." Her eyes glued themselves down, mesmerized in the way he traced each finger carefully with his thumb, as if he wanted to memorize the feeling of her hand in his. Lifting up his head to glance at her, Gaara dropped her hand gently and straightened up, leaning in to press his lips against her forehead.

Her heart contracted in its own accord at the gesture and Katana trained her stare on the futon between them, moisture seeping in and stinging her tired eyes. _Dammit. _The brunette clenched her teeth, not expecting the sudden jump of emotions, her eyelids closing tightly, in order to reign in the tears.

_Calm down, calm down. _

The roughness of his hand on hers, the gentle brush of his lips, the warmth that he radiated, his all-too familiar aquamarine eyes…it was all too much comfort and safety to take in all at once. It felt too good to be true, felt too good that it hurt inside.

_You can't go breaking down with every simple comforting touch. You're a shinobi. _

She sucked in a deep breath, gathering her self-control silently. "Gaara, I…"

_I love you. I miss you. God, I missed you so much._

"I'm tired." She breathed out as she opened her eyes, swallowing to push back the pathetic hiccup threatening to get out. "It's…It's been a long day and the travel we had was exhausting." She ignored the twinge of guilt inside her chest as Katana heard the boy in front release a dejected exhale, his body quivering slightly as he pulled away.

Gaara swallowed hard, his Adam's apple pushing down and then back up at the motion. His jaws were locked, expression seemingly overwhelmed as well. The redhead jerked his head down in a nod, quickly looking away to the side and standing up. "I'll let you rest then." He said, tone tight with restraint and laced with just a hint of disappointment. With another shaky breath, he left her sight and made his way towards his bags.

_Dammit, dammit, dammit. Just stop thinking already. _

Sighing silently in defeat, Katana settled back down on the futon and forced her eyes close again, trying to ignore the quiet noises the redhead created as he dug through his belongings. Silence enveloped them as Gaara prepared for another restless night, an unspoken agreement shared between the two of them: there will be no further talking tonight. It could be done tomorrow or the next following days, but not right now, not when the wounds were obviously still too fresh to be touched.

Even behind her closed lids, Katana could almost make out what he was doing just from the silent rustling of soft footsteps. The way the scratching sounds echoed from beside her indicated that Gaara had laid down another futon just a few feet away.

The telltale hiss of sand rang in her ears as it flew right above her head to reach out for the oil lamp on the table and the absence of an orange light from beneath her eyelids was enough to make her realize that the boy turned it off completely.

Without the burning lamp to radiate warmth, cold crept up her skin almost immediately and sent tremors down her spine. Shifting in discomfort, Katana blindly groped around for the covers, letting out an exhale of victory when her hands felt the heavy sheets. She threw it over her body, the blanket reaching up to her chin, and curled to one side, desperate for a few winks of sleep.

"Is this alright for you?"

The question came without warning and Katana opened her eyes reluctantly, rolling over to glance at Gaara. In the murky darkness of the room, his aquamarine eyes shone, making it easier to locate the rest of his face. "What do you mean?" Katana asked in return, tone cautious. _I thought we'd established that there would be no talking tonight?_

She watched the boy's gaze flicker down to the ground between them, searching for a way to phrase his question, before turning back to focus at her. "Us." Gaara said shortly and paused, elaborating with a shift in his tone, "Sharing this tent. Is it alright for you?" The hesitance in his normally strong voice was all she needed to know that it wasn't the question he wanted to ask. Nonetheless, Katana went along with his cover-up, too tired to dig deeper.

"Of course." She frowned briefly and blinked in confusion. "Isn't it alright for you?"

"It is."

"Then what's the big deal?"

Katana could almost see the flash of sadness across the boy's unclear expression in the dark. Aquamarine eyes lowered in uncertainty as Gaara answered, "Nothing." He shook his head, dark strands of hair falling messily against his forehead. He brushed them off once more. "I merely wanted to make sure. Good night." The velvety voice eased the tension away from her body and slowly, Katana mustered a small beam, hoping the redhead could see it despite their pitch black surroundings.

"Good night, Gaara."

* * *

The smell of burning flesh and smoke welcomed her sense of smell, Katana's eyes watering terribly as the putrid stench wafted on her face. The brunette gagged and choked for clean air, bile rising to her throat. Gasping desperately, Katana found herself on her knees and her nails dug on the dirt as she tried to catch her breath. _Where…am I?_ She asked herself in alarm, looking up and scanning her surroundings once her lungs stopped feeling as if they were carved out.

Heaps of unidentified garbage surrounded her, the ground littered with broken weapons and used explosives, most areas covered in pools of red. Blinking rapidly to aid her blurry vision, Katana's eyebrows furrowed in realization as she recognized the place she was in.

She was back in the beach, in the area where they disposed the corpses and burned them all together. Her stomach squeezed tightly and somersaulted in disgust, panic entering her system as she pulled herself up into a standing position and desperately staggered away from one of the tall piles.

"There you are, brat."

The snarl from behind her took her aback and Katana whirled around without another pause, eyes widening with shock and rage alike as she fixed her gaze on the undead with the golden mane. "Kinkaku." She choked out, balling her fists.

_I'm dreaming._ She told herself insistently, hoping that the silent reminder would somehow bring her back to consciousness. _This isn't true. It's just another nightmare._

"Again, saying my name without the proper suffix." Kinkaku clucked in mock disappointment, sneering as he approached her. "I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to Ginkaku." No sooner than when he bit the sentence out, the burly undead charged for her and Katana jumped back reflexively, her mind stuck in frenzy. "You're not real." She said stubbornly, shaking her head and hastily rolling away when he sent a wave of flames towards her direction. "We've sealed you. I'm dreaming."

"Just how are you so sure that this isn't real?" Kinkaku snapped back in challenge, running towards her again.

_It's just another nightmare. _

With a tight grimace, Katana pushed herself on the balls of her feet and jumped back, yelping in shock when her back collided against something hard and cold. She turned her head to look at the obstacle and froze when her wide grey orbs were met by an equally dull-colored pair of eyes, the difference being hers were naturally grey and the eyes that stared at her were long since dead and lifeless and belonged to a mutilated head that poked out of the pile of corpses she bumped against.

Whirling her head back to face forward, cold fear filled the kunoichi's system as she saw the man fast approaching, merely seconds away from getting to where she stood. Instinctively, she reached down for her sword, hastily gripping for the handle but coming in contact with empty space. Glancing down to her hip, her dread only heightened in intensity as she realized that her weapon wasn't with her.

_It's not real. It's just another nightmare._ She chanted in her head helplessly, repeating it over and over again like a mantra.

"Looks like you're trapped!" Kinkaku cackled with sick glee and took one last leap, slamming into Katana and pushing the cold metal handle of his gigantic fan against her neck. Air rushed out of her the moment she was shoved up hard onto the pile of burnt bodies and everything suddenly felt very real.

_It's just another nightmare! _

The brunette could feel the hard metal pressing insistently on her throat, cutting off her air supply; she could feel the way torn-up limbs, decapitated bodies and dried blood stuck to her back. Try as hard as she might, Katana knew she was no match against Kinkaku's monstrous arms, her hands aching with effort as she desperately pushed him away, gasping for a much needed breath every five seconds.

"I thought you said this wasn't real?" The blonde man taunted with an ugly sneer, leaning in so close that the girl could smell his rotting breath and it was not, in any way, helping her bring back air to her deprived lungs. With another useless shove, Katana released a strangled gasp and set her eyes on a stubborn glower, grey orbs flashing with rage despite the fear and panic.

"I-It…isn't." She ground out breathlessly, pushing the metal bar away from her neck with every ounce of her energy. The dry chuckle that the undead let out sounded like horrible drumming in her ears.

_I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming._

_It's not real._

_It's just another nightmare._

Smirking in a way that bared the rows of sharp teeth he possessed, Kinkaku inched forward again, Katana backing away pathetically in turn. The stench of the dead bodies worsened, if possible, making the brunette regret her earlier action. She fixed her hard glare on the towering man in front, gritting her teeth with her chin up, breathing heavily through her nose.

"Who's gonna save you now, little girl…?" Kinkaku taunted softly with a blood-curdling sneer.

His rumbling whisper echoed inside her ear like a deadly little secret, shattering her courage and shaking her to the very core. _It's just another nightmare…_Closing her eyes and swallowing hard, Katana shook her head stiffly, holding on to what remained of her guts. "Face it, Katana…" Kinkaku's voice altered into something slightly more familiar as he said her name and Katana felt the man draw back slowly, loosening his hold on her by just a fraction.

"How are you ever going to survive without me…Kat-chan?"

Freezing at the nickname, grey eyes snapped wide open and the kunoichi stiffened in her position like a rock, the metal handle pressing on her throat suddenly feeling ten times as icy and as life-threatening. "T-Tou-san." She choked out and stared as chills ran down her back, at what was previously Kinkaku—was now the exact replica of Kakashi's face, only darker, more malicious. "I wonder if you'll ever stop being a pathetic excuse of a shinobi…" Kakashi's voice drawled out with a humorless chuckle, his single dark eye glinting dangerously.

Without warning, his face gurgled like boiling water and it shifted into a tanner face, Kakashi's narrow jaw becoming broader and losing the mask. The silver hair turned into yellowish white strands of hair and this time, it was Darui who faced her. The only thing that didn't change was the cold look of hatred in his gaze and the haunting tone that seemed to pierce her soul every time the person spoke.

"You shouldn't have gone to war, Katana-sama." The older shinobi spat, face wrinkling with distaste as he drove the girl down on the pile further in the same way Kakashi did. "Always being protected…always being looked after. Don't you know how many people died because of you?" The face morphed once more and Katana released a pained gasp as the handle dug into her throat, her vision turning blurry.

Squirming under the heavy load, the girl wheezed for air and she could barely make out Samui's enraged expression in front of her. "Already too many, that's for sure." The blonde woman hissed out and her face changed again, the straight blonde hair turning a shade lighter and an inch shorter, the soft edges of her face becoming hard.

With half-opened eyes, Katana stared in horror as the ever-changing illusion took the form of Atsui, whose wide smile was anything but friendly. "One of them being me." Atsui shoved the handle harder than ever and the brunette struggled with the iron hold, gasping and choking, clammy hands clenching on the handle.

"You were the one who was too weak to handle the fight. You were the one who needed to be protected. You should've died on that battle, not me."

The cold was seeping into her skin greedily and darkness crept to the corners of her vision. Fear clung on her system as her mind faintly registered the idea of death, numbness spreading around her chest.

The illusion that looked like Atsui grinned manically, the crazed expression of pure delight radiating off his face as he leaned again to whisper in her ear.

"So this time around…I'll make sure you'll die, Katana-sama."

* * *

Orange exploded in Katana's sight as the girl bolted straight up from where she laid on her bed, chest heaving rapidly as her breathing struggled to even out. Instantly, a sharp pain erupted from the back of her head, right where she had collided with the boulder, and her vision watered, everything around her turning murky for a moment.

Unclenching her jaw with much effort, the metallic taste of blood entered her dry mouth and Katana swallowed, hysterical gasps for much needed air following the action. The brunette's eyelids fluttered unsteadily as she caught up with her breath and she looked around frantically, desperate to decipher her surroundings as soon as her eyesight cleared was back in the tent, sitting up on her futon with the sheets bunched up around her waist.

_I'm alive…Alive. It wasn't real…_

Shaky knuckles, clenched tightly around the fabric of her sheets, were readily turning white as the brunette forced a choked breath out of her throat, a sheen layer of cold sweat covering her face. "It's just…another nightmare." She breathed out the empty words, closing her eyes tiredly and reluctantly letting go of her grip on the covers. Behind her closed lids, pieces of the dream returned to her mind again: the dried blood sprinkled on the dirt, the smoke and the acrid stench of rotting flesh, the cold bloodlust on the faces of the people she loved haunting her: _Tou-san…Darui-sempai...Samui-san and—_

"Oh god, Atsui-san." The brunette choked out, forcing back a dry sob that threatened to rip out of her already aching throat. She remembered his harsh words, bitter but true and laced with a hint of accusation.

"_**You were the one who was too weak to handle the fight. You were the one who needed to be protected. You should've died on that battle, not me."**_

The statement rang inside her ears, mocking her, repeating in her head deafeningly loud despite sounding like a deadly whisper at the same time. Even when she knew that the boisterous boy would never say anything even remotely unforgiving, the impact of the words still dug deep, piercing the weak crack in her armor and creating an even bigger chink.

It hurt because the nightmare felt disturbingly real.

It hurt because deep down, Katana knew that it was her subconscious speaking to her.

It hurt because it was agonizingly, undeniably damn _true_.

_No. No, don't think like that._ Shaking her head, the girl inhaled sharply and released it as a quivering sigh, erasing the overwhelming thoughts from her throbbing head.

_Remember what Darui-sempai said. Some things were bound to happen, even when we try to control the situation at hand. Atsui-san would never blame me. He'd never say that. He was well aware of what was at stake when he fought against Ginkaku. _

Swallowing again, Katana ran a hand through her hair, the slight pressure on her scalp easing the pain of her headache away. _You yourself were aware of the risks of it too…_

Silence enveloped her as the unwanted images slowly began to fade away from her mind, the girl focusing instead on the comforting halo of light from the burning oil lamp atop the table near her as she breathed in and out, in and out, clean, crisp air entering her lungs. _No smoke…no rotting flesh…_ She added mentally as an afterthought, a stuttering exhale pushing past her lips. Distractedly, she lowered the hand pressing on her head, fingers gently tracing the broken skin of her lower lip from where she had bitten it too hard during her sleep.

"Katana?"

Wearily opening her eyes, the girl stared blankly at the standing figure of the redhead on the doorway, exhaustion clogging up her mind and making it harder to form coherent thoughts. Finally, Katana settled for a forced smile, wincing once her mouth stretched and pulled on the offended part of her lip, thick red liquid appearing out of the dried wound. "You're up." She remarked with a pained grimace and swiped her thumb at her split lip, glaring down at smear of blood. "Did something happen? Was it an emergency?"

The distinct scraping of quiet footsteps against the ground rang in her ears and though the girl kept prodding at the injury on her mouth, her brain registered the warmth radiating from the boy that dropped beside her. "No. Nothing's wrong." Gaara reassured quietly, his gaze trained on the brunette as she fussed over her bloody lip. With an inaudible sigh, he reached out and grasped her wrist, tugging it away with surprising gentleness. "Stop that. You're making it worse."

Frowning reluctantly, Katana let her hand be pulled away, her arm falling back to her side. "No emergency meetings? No attacks?" She asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion and worry. Katana paused, her grimace deepening as she fixed the boy a stern glare and added, "Are you sure nothing happened?" Beside her, Gaara met her narrowed eyes calmly, unfazed, and nodded once. Dark-ringed orbs closed for a quick moment as the redhead drew his knees up and pulled them close to his body. "Everything's fine, Katana."

"Why are you awake then?"

Pressing his lips in a thin line, Gaara gave an indifferent shrug, expression turning tight at the question. "I couldn't sleep." He answered simply with an underlying hint of defeat in his tone. Sighing again, the young lad raised a hand to thread through the thick mass of his crimson hair, unruly locks splaying over his forehead, just barely showing the 'ai' kanji that was carved on his skin. Grey eyes softened in sympathy and concern as the brunette slowly understood his situation, the light radiated by the lamp from behind them finally allowing her to see the subtle changes in the boy that she had missed beforehand.

Though his stoic expression reflected control and endless composure, the shadows around his sunken orbs were thicker, darker, his normally smooth voice gaining a gravelly quality from overuse and exhaustion alike. His form was stiff yet slouching at the same time, muscles tight with distress and shoulders heavy with tension. The chakra present in the atmosphere around him was thick and suffocating, frenzied with anxiety. _Of course…the combined stress of war and his position must've taken quite a toll on him too. So it wasn't just me, after all._

Lips curling up in a careful, wry beam, Katana allowed a snort of amusement to escape her. _Is it wrong that I'm oddly relieved by that fact? _When the latter glanced at her questioningly, she merely stared back, eyes sympathetic and soft. "Want to let me in on your thoughts?" She offered silently, arms going around her knees and hugging them close as she imitated his position. Surprise flickered through Gaara's aquamarine orbs as they widened slightly, hesitation clear in the redhead's face as he averted his eyes down to the floor.

"We don't have to—"

"It's okay." Katana interrupted before the boy could continue further with his protest and she sighed heavily, her smile fading away. "You can drop the mask, Gaara. I know you're tired of keeping your thoughts to yourself, too." She whispered in a meaningful tone, voice reflecting the rare vulnerability that was reserved for her friends, her father and for the redhead himself only.

"You don't have to pretend anymore. Not with me…" Looking at him pointedly, she watched as the boy's guarded expression gradually melted into one of weariness and distress, his eyes closing as he sighed.

"In the letter I sent you", Gaara began in a resigned tone after a while, aquamarine orbs fluttering open halfway, "I told you that I had a brief encounter with my late father...do you remember that?" Nodding gingerly, Katana pursed her lips in a frown as she noticed the melancholy dancing in his gaze.

"Yeah. I remember that part." She answered encouragingly, shifting in her seat and inching closer until their shoulders bumped against each other.

At the contact, some of the tension left Gaara and he sent her an appreciative look, his hand stretching out and grasping hers gratefully. "I was with Tsuchikage-sama when we discovered, using my Third Eye technique, that the deceased Kages were heading towards our way. I realized that my father was one of them; his chakra was something I could never forget."

The end of his sentence was punctuated with a tinge of discomfort, the boy no doubt in pain as he dug up the old bitter memories he had locked away for so long. "I didn't want to confront him but our fight was inevitable, since my sand was the only thing that could possibly match the strength and speed of his gold dust. He was quite taken aback when he discovered that I was no longer a jinchuuriki. Even more so, when he learned that I'd made friends over the years and became Kazekage. But even then…" Gaara trailed off lowly, his face darkening and an agonized pinch between his eyes appearing, "even when he'd heard of my achievements, Father refused to believe that I was anything but a failure. He told me he'd judge my worth himself and so we fought…"

A sudden twinge of pain set itself off inside Katana's chest and the brunette took a sharp intake of breath, the redhead's description of his father reminding her so much of how her own real dad had been when she was younger. Forcing down the lump in her throat and shoving the thought away, Katana moved the hand in his grip and turned her palm facing up, interlacing their fingers together to remind him of her presence.

"I did everything I could to defeat him. I wanted to prove him wrong. In the course of our battle, I had them trapped inside my sand, even Father, but one of his arms escaped my hold and he sent a wave of his gold dust towards me."

"I didn't recall summoning it but suddenly my sand was there in my defense and the strangest thing happened." Aquamarine eyes flickered to the girl's sober expression and the boy inhaled slowly, his gaze dropping to their joined hands. "My ultimate defense took the shape of a woman. More specifically, it took the shape of my mother. When Father saw it, he broke down. He acknowledged that I had grown, that I had improved. And he confessed to me that…", A hard swallow made him pause, his Adam's apple rising up and back down at the motion, and he breathed in again, sharp and shallow.

Worriedly, Katana glanced up at him and her breath hitched, her heart breaking and squeezing painfully at the clear anguish and dark sorrow that the boy's face held, his eyes—normally piercing and emotionless—were struggling to stay open, unshed tears making the sea foam orbs glisten inside the dimly lighted tent.

"…th-that what Yashamaru's actions were done against his will. My uncle attempted to kill me under his orders. Father was trying to assess my control over Shukaku for one last time before he decided what he would do with me. H-He… told me that my uncle didn't hate me…and neither did my mother. He said it was a mistake…He said he was sorry."

At this, a quivering sigh escaped the redhead's parted mouth and Gaara closed his eyes and hung his head down, feebly fighting back the tears threatening to fall out.

"All this time…all this time, I-I've blamed my actions to what Yashamaru did…A-All this time, I've u-used what they had said…about my mother cursing me, hating me…to validate all that I've done wrong." Gaara's free hand balled into a trembling fist on his knee and he gripped the cloth of his pants pathetically as he struggled to continue. "Now that the truth is out, all that I've done suddenly seems so much more horrible. All those people I've killed…I hurt them, I took their lives and for what?"

His voice broke at the end of his statement and it dropped down to a low whisper once he spoke again but it was still heavy with regret and agony, still laced with the same harsh shame, perhaps even more so now that he was merely murmuring, forcing the painful words out of his mouth. "I've done so many mistakes, ruined so many lives because I succumbed to my pain and chose to believe what they said, just so I could ease the hurt inside me…I've got only myself to blame for it."

Clenching her teeth tight in the same was her chest was contracting in its own accord, Katana mustered up a shaky breath and gently pried her hand out of his. The girl straightened up and grabbed the overwhelmed redhead, whirling him around until his body was turned towards her. "Gaara." She said after a minute of stunned silence, almost choking on getting the word out.

With tenderness she wasn't aware she possessed, Katana lifted his face up with her two hands, her eyes stinging with suppressed tears at the sight of thin, delicate tear tracks painted on the both sides of the boy's face. Dark-ringed orbs were still shut tight, the redhead's jaw tense and the rest of his body shaking as he fought to stay in control. "Hey, come on. Look at me." At the hushed command, aquamarine eyes half-heartedly fluttered open, looking so dull and crestfallen that it took all of the girl's willpower not to cry on the spot.

Stroking the pale skin softly with her fingers barely exerting pressure against the flesh, Katana wound her arms around his neck and pulled, cradling him closer. "It's okay." She whispered hoarsely, forcing to keep her voice from wavering even when her eyes stung. Swallowing thickly, she blinked back the tears and rested her hand on his back, rubbing calming circles through the fabric of his shirt.

"It's okay…Just let go, Gaara. Just let go." Inside her hold, Gaara trembled and released a broken whimper as he wrapped his arms around her waist and surged forward, their combined weights causing them to topple over and fall back against the futon.

The heart-wrenching sobs wracked the redhead's body as he burrowed his head in the juncture of Katana's neck, his hands clutching fistfuls of brunette's sweater, the boy all but clinging to her helplessly like a lost child. "I-I'm s-sorry, I'm s-sorry…" His muffled whisper sounded so heartbroken, so naïve and frightened; sounded so different from the stoic Sabaku no Gaara that everyone knew.

"S-Shh. It's okay. I'm h-here…I'm here, Gaara. You're okay." Katana murmured in reassurance as she closed her eyes, letting her own tears fall silently, her insecurities and misery washed away along with the crystalline drops that trickled down from the corners of her eyes. As the words exchanged between them vanished, silence enveloped the dark room and for the first time that night, both of them drew comfort in the shadows, the dancing flame of the oil lamp dying out completely after a strong gust of wind entered the tent.

Cold darkness surrounded them but neither one felt the unfriendly chilliness inside the room, pressed-up bodies and intertwined limbs providing enough heat for both of them. The redhead's heavy breaths were warm against Katana's neck as Gaara slowly regained his composure, his back rising up and down in a calm pace.

Absentmindedly, Katana reached a hand up while the other rested on the boy's back, the traveling hand threading through the thick locks of crimson. Opening her eyes slowly, she fixed her gaze on the roof of the tent, distractedly combing the soft hair underneath her fingers as she focused on evening out her breath.

"The mistakes you spoke about, the things you did…those happened so long ago, Gaara." She whispered softly, finally voicing out her thoughts for the first time after the boy broke down. Eyebrows furrowed and Katana grimaced slightly, her hand pausing its ministrations as she said, "You've changed a lot since then. You're not that person anymore…"

Above her, Gaara exhaled raggedly and lifted his head up, the regret and hesitation in his eyes completely clear as he looked up at her. Dry tear tracks painted on the sides of his face caught Katana's attention and she brushed them carefully with gentle fingers, averting her eyes for a quick moment in favor of looking into Gaara's aquamarine ones.

"I know." He answered lowly, closing his eyes, "I know. I just wish I could've done something to change it. I wish things didn't have to be that way." Ruefully peering down on her face, Gaara set his mouth in a grim line. "Remembering what I did in the past made me question…everything that I have gained right now. I feel as if I didn't deserve this—"

"Don't. Don't say that." Katana cut off hastily and pressed a finger against his lips, looking pained as she continued, "We all wish we could've changed something in the past. But that's not the way it works…If it is as you say, then I don't deserve what I have right now any more than you do." She met his half-lidded eyes, piercing grey staring deep down into soft aquamarine. "Out of everyone else, you deserve this the most. You overcame everything, Gaara. Despite your past, despite the hurt and the pain, despite what they all thought of you, you managed to prove them wrong."

Brushing her knuckles on his smooth jaw, Katana gave him a brave smile and brought their foreheads together, "And no matter how hard the past might seem, I wouldn't want to change anything. Know why? Because even after all that we've been through…we got each other out of it." Blinking rapidly, the redhead swallowed and stared back at her, his eyes moist once again.

"I love you so much…" He murmured breathlessly, gratitude and adoration clear in every word as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. "I love you…I love you…" He said in between kisses and captured Katana's mouth in a searing kiss one last time before breaking away, replenishing his lungs with precious air. "Thank you. For everything…How did I end up being so fortunate?"

"I ask myself that every time."

Smiling faintly at girl's reply, Gaara sighed quietly and nudged her cheek with his in a gentle manner, letting a few minutes of peacefulness to sink in before he made a move to get away. Instantly, Katana's grip on his shoulders tightened and the girl sent him stubborn look, her gaze meeting his puzzled expression. "Katana?" The boy paused in his tracks, his mouth turning down to a bewildered frown. "What are you—?"

"Don't go."

Hearing the brunette's pleading tone, Gaara's eyes softened as he sighed again. "You need to sleep."

"And I will. But don't go."

"Where…Where will I sleep?"

Shrugging lightly, Katana gave him a lopsided smile. "You seem pretty comfortable here." She answered in a nonchalant manner, looking at him expectantly. "Stay with me?" At her suggestion, the boy's eyes widened in surprise and the tips of Gaara's ears turned pink as he looked away in embarrassment.

"Here…with you?" He asked hoarsely, mouth suddenly gone dry as the blush descended down to his face. Raising her eyebrows at the latter's reaction, Katana looked at him in confusion. "Yeah, that's…what I said. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Don't you think it's a little…inappropriate for us to share a bed?"

"Oh." Realizing what the redhead meant, Katana chuckled shortly, both at his expression and his worries. "It's not like we're going to do anything." She snorted, grinning widely when Gaara blushed heatedly once more at her answer. Feeling a pang of sympathy, the girl spared him of further awkwardness and ignored the redness in his face that indicated exactly what he was thinking. "I just want you beside me." She explained silently, losing her amusement. "The past few days have been…eventful. Right now, I just want to be Katana again, not a shinobi, not a soldier, not anything else, even if it's just for this night."

Nodding slowly in understanding, Gaara brought his forehead down on hers and released a silent breath. "Okay." He said, beaming comfortingly, "I won't go." His response earned him a grateful smile and Katana closed her eyes in contentment, her arms relaxing around him. "Good."

Pausing for a quick second, Katana frowned thoughtfully and opened her eyes once more, looking down at their position. "On second thought, maybe not_ right here—_on top of me—here. Why don't you settle down beside me instead? To anyone else who'd see us, the position we're in right now is just downright compromi—"

"Stop. I get it, stop. _Stop_."

At the mortified plea and the violent blush that the redhead sported, Katana's laughter erupted inside the tent just before everything else faded into silence in the hours of darkness.

* * *

"Hello?"

_Drip, drip, drip…_

The sound of trickling water bounced against cold, damp walls, echoing all over the murky darkness. The scent of musk was as heady as it had been in her previous visits and the chills ran down the girl's spine. Despite the familiar feeling of the place, it never ceased to give her goose bumps, the tremendous energy present inside the cave-like dome striking an initial sense of fear and agitation to anyone.

_Drip, drip, drip…_

"Hey, are you there?" Katana opened her eyes as wide as they would go, yet the same pitch blackness welcomed her sight. The only response she received was a deafening, eerie silence, along with the constant '_drip-drip-drip_' of falling crystal droplets. With a resigned exhale, Katana dropped down to a sitting position on the cold, though thankfully dry ground where she previously stood. "Okay, I understand. I'll wait right here. You can, uh, come out whenever you're ready."

No sooner than when she said those words, the air in front of her wavered and turned solid, a mirage that looked like her exact replica—with the exception of hollow obsidian eyes—appeared before her. Scrambling up to her feet again, Katana stared at her twin with an expectant look, a spark of curiosity obvious in her grey eyes. "Alright. Why am I h—"

"_You need to go."_

Stopping in midsentence, Katana closed her open mouth and took a moment before she registered what the latter said. Blinking twice and furrowing her eyebrows, Katana grimaced in faint annoyance. "That doesn't make any sense. I didn't go here on my own, remember? You took me here."

"_That's not what I meant, brat." _The chakra demon snapped in her usual impatient and resentful tone but whatever Katana was planning to retort died inside her throat the moment she saw a quick flash of something different in the glowering eyes of her carbon copy. There was also a dangerous shift in her voice that made the brunette hesitate, dread creeping inside her system. _"I'm giving you a warning. You need to wake up, immediately, and once you do, get away. Run. Far, far away from here."_

Katana's heart skipped a beat at the anxious edge in the latter's statement and she nodded obediently, releasing a shaky sigh. "Okay, I hear you…but can I ask why? This is all so sudden and I'm not sure I understand. Can you try explaining from the—?"

"_There's no time, Katana."_ The copy said hastily, not allowing the brunette to finish once more. _"All I can tell you is that danger is heading your way and you cannot defeat it. Even I cannot." _Deep worry flashed through her coal black eyes, her normally unforgiving gaze turning into fearful, and Katana shuddered instinctively. Her spiteful tone was no more, reduced to a mess of unease and alarm. _"You have to get away from here."_

A sudden crack that resonated inside the cave made Katana jerk her head back and she stared at the jagged lines etching themselves slowly on the walls of the dark place, the sturdy cavern crumbling into dust and rocks, falling into the awaiting pit below and closing in on the two of them. Turning her attention back to her twin, Katana could only stare at her with confused apprehension as the carbon copy started to waver as well, an illusion ready to evaporate into the thin air.

"W-Wait."

"_Go. Wake up and go."_

"Wait, please! Please, just give me a chance to—"

"_I'm sorry." _Giving her one last begging glower that seemed desperate more than anything, the girl with the ebony orbs opened her mouth. _"Run…"_

* * *

"_RUN….!"_

Grey eyes snapped open in panic and blinked rapidly for several times, forcing away the blurriness and traces of sleep, before it dawned to the girl that she was staring aimlessly at the ceiling tent. Immediately, Katana released a stuttering sigh, the cold sweat that clung to her face making her shudder.

_Another…nightmare? _She asked herself incredulously, breath coming out in slow pants as she gathered her scattered thoughts and frazzled nerves. Her twin's words replayed inside her mind, repeating over and over much like how it echoed inside the cave they were in. Yet, despite the constant repetition, her statement was just as baffling as it was the first time around. Shaking her head wearily and sighing, Katana looked around.

Both hers and Gaara's packs were huddled in the corner where they had dumped them carelessly, all weapons and protective gears—with the exception of her sword, which was thrown haphazardly to the far right, opposite of their belongings—piled all together. Peaceful silence was all there was inside the room, no signs of any evident danger present and nothing was out of place.

_Perhaps it was nothing after all. I must've been making it all up inside my head…_

It was still dark inside the tent and yet the bleary light that shyly peeked in from behind the doorway and the unusual warmth around her body told the brunette otherwise. _Must be somewhere around dawn—_

A hushed grunt sounded from beside her, cutting off her thoughts, and before the girl had the chance to turn to the direction of the noise, a pair of arms that she had disregarded before latched onto her waist and pulled her closer to the warmth she felt. Managing to bite back a surprised squeak, Katana tentatively peered up at the sleeping redhead, whose face was buried against the top of her head. _Oh._ With a lopsided smile, the brunette relaxed inside his embrace as her earlier worries were temporarily forgotten, relishing the comforting feeling of warmth and safety that the boy gave off despite having her trapped in his arms.

Wistfully beaming, Katana hesitated for a moment before she drew back slightly, catching the peaceful expression of boy and feeling air rush out of her as she stared at the breathtaking sight. Gaara's features were soft, pale and smooth—angelic, in a way, as he seemed deceivingly harmless—yet unfairly, dangerously handsome at the same time.

Mesmerized, the girl moved a hand up, her nimble fingers lovingly brushing aside the soft crimson bangs that concealed the red tattoo underneath. The 'ai' kanji came out into view and with careful, gentle touches as not to wake the sleeping boy, Katana caressed the old wound, silently remembering the bitter promise that used to go with it, and the brunette's lips fell into a tight line.

_Beneath the emotionless masks, behind the cold front he puts up to bar anyone from coming close…he's simply beautiful. Scarred maybe and possibly broken, but beautiful nonetheless…_

Shifting nearer and eliminating the distance between them, Katana closed her eyes and brushed her lips over the kanji, pressing a faint kiss against it. _How could anyone want to hurt such a person…?_ Her mind went back to what she said to him last night, her words sounding as clear as day. _Even after all that we've been through…we got each other out of it._

Drawing back, she smiled again and settled back down inside his arms. Just as she was about to close her eyes, fully intending to go back to sleep, there was an unexpected shift in the air, sharp and unsympathetic. In her place, Katana froze, eyes widening and muscles tensing reflexively.

_What the hell?_

Abruptly sitting up, she pushed the covers away from her body and without warning, the icy sensation washed through her once more. Katana stiffened beyond understanding and halted her breathing at once, back rigid and throat rebelliously closing against her will. Thick, heavy tension hung in the atmosphere inside the room and it took a few moments of blindly grasping at straws before Katana could put a finger on the foreign and treacherous buzz in the air. Grey eyes narrowed and the girl clenched her teeth in a mixture of dread and distress.

_Is this…chakra?_

"Katana…?" Beside her, Gaara stirred groggily and the redhead shook himself free of slumber before sitting up with the girl, concern evident in his eyes and voice. "Katana, what's wrong? What happene—"

"Shh." Holding up a hand in front, the kunoichi hastily silenced the young lad and she waited, letting a few uncomfortable minutes of quietness to pass by before she spoke, her voice low and rushed. "Focus." She told Gaara in a whisper, eyes darting around the tent in alarm. "Do you feel that?" No sooner than when she asked him, the hostile sensation came again, twice as intense and as threatening, and the movements of the two shinobi stopped dead, breaths turning shallow and erratic.

The chakra in air was cold, cruel and disturbingly lifeless, darkly whispering a promise of death and agony. And just when they were about to suffocate with the frightening amount of energy present, the chakra went away but not without a dreadful assurance that it was bound to come back.

Releasing a choked up breath, Katana's eyes flickered towards the boy's aquamarine orbs, the two sharing a brief, knowing glance. Quickly averting his stare, Gaara's expression grew guarded and he stood up in a fluid motion, the stoic mask back in place as he withdrew from the girl and went to his pack. "Get dressed." He said monotonously, his voice stable and calm despite the underlying agitation and worry he felt.

Nodding sharply the minute she recovered from her stupor, Katana stood to her feet and zipped the tent close, snatching her own belongings and trudging to the opposite side of the tent as they both put on their vests and armed themselves. The moment they stepped out of the room, they were back to being general and soldier, minds blank and hearts hollow.

"Let's go."

"Hai, Kazekage-sama."

* * *

"What happened?" Gaara inquired evenly as soon as he was close enough to ask, his expression the epitome of composed as he took in the large crowd that had gathered beforehand in front of a high, towering cliff. He stopped beside the Tsuchikage and surprisingly, Naruto, who explained that he'd gotten here as soon as he felt the ominously strong chakra. A few meters behind him, Katana slowed her pace and changed course, heading for the familiar form of Temari instead.

On top of the cliff, two men stood beside each other, one covered in bandages from head to toe, and the other one standing beside the bandaged man with grace and an aura of pride. Long, dark hair trailed behind him and the man was clad in red armor, looking every bit as frightening and powerful as his chakra in the air suggested. Staring at him, Katana suppressed a shudder, certain that the terrible chakra belonged to him. "Who's that man?" She asked Temari in a hushed voice, paying no attention to the heated conversations happening up front.

With a grimace, the blonde woman released a silent sigh, her eyes never leaving the said man as she answered, "Uchiha Madara." Hearing the reply of the older girl, grey eyes narrowed in confusion and disbelief alike. "T-That's…not possible." Katana whispered stubbornly, glancing at Temari. "Tobi from Akatsuki said he was Uchiha Madara. I would know; he declared war against the villages during the Kage Summit. This chakra isn't anything like his."

"Tobi isn't Madara."

"_What_?"

"We've been tricked." Glancing at her quickly, Temari snapped her gaze back up at the man atop the cliff. "HQ told us that the masked man is heading towards the real Naruto. The Uchiha Madara before us is the real one…and he's been revived by Edo Tensei." Clenching her teeth at the information, Katana drew her sword out swiftly, body tense and waiting for the impending battle. "Any idea who the hell 'Tobi' is, then?"

"No. None…HQ didn't find out—"

"Fall back!"

At the alarmed warning, Katana snapped her head up and jumped away just in time before flames consumed her, her heart racing inside her chest as a rush of adrenaline ran through her body. Letting out a heavy huff, Katana stood up from where she landed on the ground in a crouch and felt energy slam into her system without warning, chakra coursing through her veins like lightning. She gasped, grey eyes turning into a void of black and speckled gold, and winced at the telltale pang of pain inside her head.

"_Foolish girl! I told you to run away, not run towards danger!"_

_I think it's a little too late for you to scold me. _Katana replied back with suppressed irritation, eyeing the battle carefully and watching as Naruto pummeled the ancient Uchiha with a gigantic ball of spinning energy. _Now shut up and help me if you don't want to die._

Smoke and dust exploded all over the battlefield as Uchiha Madara stood back up on his feet, a humanoid creature radiating off coldness and energy enclosing him inside while he glared red and black. "That's Susanoo!" Katana yelled in alarm, running towards the direction of the undead and shoving away the clueless shinobi that stood on the front lines. Seeing the man's arms outstretched, the brunette gritted her teeth and fell on her knees, slamming her free hand down on the ground. "Everyone get away!"

Dark-colored flames erupted in a protective circle around Madara as he flicked his wrists, the cold, blackish violet inferno of Amaterasu colliding and roaring uselessly over hers. _Finally, a use for this damn shield. _Katana thought grudgingly, remembering her failed attempt of defeating Kinkaku with it.

"Don't go near any of the two flames!" She warned them as she jumped back, body ablaze and chest heaving, and the girl sheathed her sword, hands joining together as she readied for the next attack, "Amaterasu is inextinguishable and it'll burn you alive! Mine would suck your chakra dry!"

"_Brat, you need to realize that because of your little stunt…Uchiha Madara is glaring at our way right now!"_

Hissing in pain when the voice inside her head screamed, it took some time before the girl's brain registered what the latter had said. Eyes nervously flickering up at Susanoo, Katana realized with a start that the creature's raised arm was descending quickly, remaining just a few meters short of crashing down on her.

_"Run, you fool, run!"_

Uttering profanities under her breath, Katana leapt away and dove to her right, barely escaping the closed fist that hit the ground. Hastily staggering back up, the brunette swallowed hard and turned on her heel, dashing away as the hand picked up from where it embedded itself on the rocks and swerved sideways, swatting at Katana like one would swat a bothersome fly.

_Shit, shit, shit!_ Roughly dodging to one side, Katana wove her hands together as she quickly went through seals and brought both her hands flat on the dirt, "Kuroi Kago!" Rows of sturdy black bars sprung up from the ground below, impaling the humongous hand of the Uchiha's shield as it once again dropped down.

Even from afar, Katana could see the faint frown of displeasure forming on Madara's face and the cold glower he sent in her direction was enough to make the fine hairs on her limbs stand.

_"Stop provoking him!"_

_How exactly do you suggest I do that? _Katana snapped back mentally, panic surging in her system as the hand easily broke away from its restriction, breaking the metal bars effortlessly as if they were simply toothpicks. Without wasting another minute, it swung again to where the girl was and Katana dove away just in time before it could hit her.

_Dammit!_

Clicking her tongue hard against her rows of teeth, the brunette racked her brain for ideas as she dashed away once more, trying to put distance between them but running was proving to be futile.

Clenching her teeth as she made a sharp turn and rolled to her side to avoid getting squashed like a bug, Katana whirled to face the gigantic humanoid and narrowed her eyes, mind made up as she drew her weapon out of its sheath and charged towards Susanoo.

_If it's me that Madara wants, then it's me he'll get._ Glowering at the base of the towering creature where Uchiha Madara awaited for her attack, Katana took a deep breath and released it along with her fear and internal panic, focusing on avoiding the hand that kept on trying to pummel her to the ground.

_This is it. _She warned the voice inside her head and the girl steeled her own frantic nerves and racing heart as the sight of an unfazed Madara entered her view. _I don't know whether I'll survive or not. But whatever happens, I refuse to die so easily. _

For the first time that day, Katana suddenly felt extremely grateful for the internal conversation; if she had to say the words aloud in order to communicate, she wouldn't have been able to talk so courageously, let alone be able to form complete words with the cold terror grasping and clawing at her beating heart.

"_Nothing but death awaits you now! I WARNED YOU, GIRL!"_

Barely meters away from her, Uchiha Madara stood tall and proud and calm, his icy gaze fixed on her running form as he anticipated her incoming blow with his arms crossed. It was enough to make anyone choke on whatever they had to say. Susanoo's hand had finally stopped its relentless chase of her. Now, what awaited her at the very end was much, much worse in comparison to the creature's flaming fist.

_Lend me the power that you pride yourself on. _She pleaded silently as she closed in another meter towards the inevitable danger. _Give me everything you've got. If you save me, then you save yourself. Come on—_

"KATANA-CHAN!"

The hysterical scream took her out of her reverie; in a moment of weakness, she succumbed to the temptation and glanced to the side, instantly regretting the decision right after her black and gold gaze met aquamarine, wide and full of fright in his pained expression as the redheaded commander watched her approach the ancient shinobi. Beside him, Naruto stared at her with the same incredulity and agitation plastered on his face but Gaara gathered his composure faster than Naruto ever could and pulled the blonde back when he made a move to run.

"Katana-chan, DON'T DO IT!"

Her best friend's desperate protest echoed throughout the battlefield just when it was already too late; gritting her teeth together in order to suppress her agony, Katana momentarily closed her eyes and ran faster with her fingers coiled tightly around the sword, feeling a burst of energy course through her veins, filling her completely until the familiar burning sensation of chakra could be felt all over.

Her skin turned ashen, lifeless and as black as nightmare, cracking as golden patterns crawled down her limbs and up her face, scarring her all over until she no longer looked recognizable or human. Sleek black flames engulfed her form and Katana snapped her eyes open, glaring gold and obsidian at the tranquil figure of Uchiha Madara. _I'm sorry, Gaara, Naruto… _With a sharp intake of breath, Katana leapt and welcomed the hostile flames of freezing darkness.

"KATANA!"

It was Gaara's heart-stopping yell that echoed all over the battlefield.

**End Chapter**


	45. Chapter 44-1 Till death do us part

**Author's Note: **I give this chapter to you as a peace offering and a sign of my good will. Now please don't kill me.

So hey, guys! How's it going? I'm doing great, if ever you're wondering and...yeah, enough talking huh? Okay then.

Anyway, I'm uploading two chapters, a Part 1 and a Part 2 again, because this baby's a loooooong one. 22 pages, 11,620 words to be exact and I'm not even kidding. It's hard work and I hope you like it.

**Enjoy and Review, People~!**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 44: Till death do us part

Screaming.

It was all that the girl could hear and it was all that surrounded her. Terrible screams of panic and wails of despair rang inside her ears, reverberating inside her aching skull. The sounds were relentless and so utterly horrifying that it threatened to snap her sanity in half.

It made her sick; made her guts somersault against her will and made goose bumps appear along her limbs. Amidst the chaotic chorus of shrieks and bone-chilling cries, one voice stood out of the many, strong, loud and clear despite the anxiety it held. It bellowed a single name and it trembled with emotion.

"KATANA!"

The voice—deep, angry, scared and so, so familiar—shook her down to the core.

_Gaara…_She thought, as the image of horrified aquamarine eyes burned itself in her mind. Katana staggered back when the flames of Susanoo roared uncontrollably around her blazing form. Her brave façade was no more and her thoughts were reduced to a jumbled mess of internal panic and terror. Her legs felt like lead; stiff and disobedient, yet shaky, unstable and treacherous at the same time.

Just a few meters in front, Uchiha Madara stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest, an aura of ease and icy calmness surrounding him despite being trapped inside Susanoo's inferno. His dead eyes studied her shuddering form, looking so frail and small from where she was hunched over.

"You look afraid, girl." The voice traveled slowly inside the cocoon of fire—or perhaps, that was just her ringing ears refusing to acknowledge anything besides the hellish noises in the background.

"Shut up." Katana hissed under her breath as she gnashed her teeth together and swallowed tightly, fighting back the screams of frustration welling up deep within her. Thoughts that made no sense raced through her mind and desperately, she tried to sort them out, tried to rack her brain for a useful idea. With her sword propped up shakily in front for defense, she weakly glowered at Madara's unfazed form as anxiety radiated off her.

Power circulated throughout her form, but she was not as naïve as to think for even a moment that it was enough to go against _the Uchiha Madara._ No, it was far from enough.

_What to do? Come on, think! Think of something, dammit!_

"Was that the best you could do?"

Eyes with flecks of gold darted towards the man and Katana fixed her glare at his forehead, unable to look at him directly in the eyes for fear of getting caught in a genjutsu. Crisp silence dawned between them as the girl failed to voice out an answer.

As seconds ticked away, the great Uchiha released a silent breath of what seemed like disappointment. He untangled his arms and balled his fists loosely by his sides, taking a brash step forward. As a result, Katana's eyes widened in alarm and she took a clumsy step back, nearly tripping over a rock in her haste.

"So this is it. We're back to playing cat and mouse again. How pitiful…" Madara took another taunting step forward, his cold gaze watching the brunette's every move. Though she trembled with silent apprehension, Katana focused her eyes down at the shinobi's feet and hardened her resolve, refusing to move from where she currently stood. She watched with growing tension as the man continued on his way, taking one firm step at a time.

"Where was the courage you had so boldly displayed earlier? Shame that it's gone so fast, I was beginning to like it…"

He was mocking her, Katana noted, a flare of rage coursing through her veins. _Calm down. _The brunette adjusted her grip on her weapon, her fingers begging for relief from being curled around the metal handle for too long. _He's just trying to get a rise out of you. It's all words. Just calm down._

"Well?" Uchiha Madara asked once more and his eyes—black and red and so undeniably cruel—glinted with a sliver of sick delight when Katana flinched back and coiled tighter like a threatened kitten. "Any last words?" Hating the feeling of cold dread gnawing at the base of her pounding heart and the unpredictability of the situation she was put in, Katana narrowed her swirling eyes into dangerous slits and forced out the thick anxiety circulating inside her system, saying the only thing she deemed proper at the given moment.

"You don't scare me."

Stunned silence met her declaration and Madara seemed stupefied for a quick moment, but before the brunette could even think of getting away, the ancient undead regained his composure. He straightened up slightly, rolling his shoulders back.

"Very well then."

His words were the only warning she received before Madara vanished from her line of sight and a blur tackled her front, sending her skidding away, her feet painfully digging deep into the ground in an attempt to stay upright. Agony made itself known to her once more as her aching arms and shaky hands protested about the searing pain. Gritting her teeth and glaring down at the red breastplate of the man clashing weapons against her, Katana's ears perked up as another jibe came out of the Uchiha's mouth. "You amuse me to no end, girl."

"Enjoy it while you still can", Katana snarled in aggravation, masking the anxious beating of her heart with rage and burning determination, "You're not going to like it very much when we send you back to hell." She shoved the man back with all her might and reveled in the short stagger she had caused him to do, a spark of hope erupting inside her system. But just as she was planning to take a more offensive approach, the man recovered and brought down his red gunbai on her and Katana was pushed back mercilessly on a defensive stance.

"I doubt it."

Strings of curses escaped her as the man in the red armor forced her down, her slighter build standing no chance against Uchiha Madara's undoubtedly larger frame. Adrenaline pumped through her veins in an agonizingly swift pace and her insides twisted and lurched rebelliously at the quick rise of events.

"You cannot win against me." Madara stated as a matter-of-factly, bearing most of his weight down on the kunoichi, his weapon—a large fan made out of an impossibly durable wood and shaped like an eight—dragging noisily against the blade of her sword. "I don't understand what you are fighting for…This is worthless." The man said shortly, unfazed by the pained expression of the younger shinobi at the receiving end of his wrath. "It would be easier on both our parts if you give up now."

_**I don't understand what you are fighting for...This is worthless.**_

The words that had been so carelessly uttered drifted to her mind and it sent an electrifying jolt through the brunette's system, a mixture of disbelief, insult and indescribable fury filling her, pushing her blood to boil.

Distractedly, as she struggled to hold the undead at bay, Katana remembered the piles of corpses burned during the sickening clean-up; she remembered fighting alongside shinobi and watching as they were struck one by one, their pained cries the last thing they release before they succumb to oblivion; she remembered the painful sting of guilt that clouded her heart, remembered feeling a strong sense of helplessness like never before.

Her comrades died because of this war, died because they weren't lucky enough to be spared another day. And yet, despite the hopelessness of the case, the remaining soldiers still trudged on and fought battle after battle without a care, even when the shadow of Death hung heavily on each and every single one of them.

For someone to insult the dead so easily felt like a blow to the gut and an unforgivable even Uchiha Madara had the right to label such a brave feat as worthless because it simply wasn't true. _How dare he_, Katana thought decidedly with a harsh grit of her teeth, her aching knuckles and cold fingers adjusting themselves on a stronger hold on her weapon as newfound courage flared inside her.

A sardonic snort sounded somewhere from the depths of her mind and Katana immediately recognized the familiar voice whose usually dry tone was laced with a hint of pride, _"You were never good at following the path that fate destined for you." _The statement was followed by a burst of renewed power surging through her veins and the girl's passive aura suddenly lit ablaze with an intensity that made the Uchiha look at her and frown in displeasure.

Narrowing his eyes on her form, the Sharingan wielder sent an effortless shove against the girl and his brows furrowed when instead of toppling over, the young kunoichi merely grunted as a short protest of pain and remained standing rigidly on the ground."Give up."Repeated Madara in a clipped tone, his patience wearing thin.

Black and gold orbs snapped up, containing a silent promise of agony and impending bloodshed. "Never." Katana snarled out. The answer was barely registered by the man's brain when Katana suddenly leapt a step back—breaking their clashed weapons in the process—and then lunged forward in a speed that neither of them knew she possessed.

The repulsive sound of metal ripping through flesh echoed between them as the girl speared her sword through the chink on his armor, the blade piercing through the undead's body and coming out at the back. Despite the putrid smell of decaying flesh wafting to her face, hope flooded Katana's system and crashed into her like a violent wave of ice cold water. With her heart ramming in an obsessive manner inside her chest, Katana gripped the hilt of her sword hard and forced it to the side, almost successfully cutting the undead in half had Madara not jumped away in time.

"_What_?" The powerful man released a bellow of disbelief, rage taking over his previously emotionless expression as he glared down at the disintegrated part of his torso, the injury already patching up in a rapid pace. "You…" Madara began, his voice shaking with barely contained fury. "You are a _fool_ for fighting against me, girl! If you had only given up when I offered you an out, then—"

"Shut up!" Katana roared as another upsurge of hatred flooded her system, her eyes gaining a glassy tint of bloodlust. "How dare you imply that I'll even consider giving up just to save my own skin! You know nothing." She bared her teeth in a snarl, showing off abnormally long canines, and glowered at the Uchiha with a vicious longing, her whole form quaking in frenzy as she wished nothing more than to rip the man into pieces and burn what remained of his insides.

Suddenly, the earlier fear she felt vanished completely, her hunger for vengeance overpowering it, and for the first time since she transformed into her horrifying appearance, Katana truly felt like a monster: A monster whose guilt-ridden heart was searching for a way to release the darkness residing inside of it.

"You don't know anything about what's happened. After all, how could you? You died and rotted as worm food a long time ago." The brunette spat again as she twirled her weapon inside her hand and gripped it tight, her glazed orbs narrowing in contempt. She met his eyes fearlessly, long since forgetting the fact that she could be caught in a genjutsu.

Recklessly, Katana pushed herself off the ground and charged for the undead, eyes blinded in a haze of bloodlust despite being intently focused on Madara and Madara only. _You don't know how many people died trying to fight this war, _the girl thought grudgingly as her sword collided against Madara's forearm guard with an earsplitting screech, _you have no idea how much blood was spilled already!_

_You know nothing! _The shrieking of metal against metal echoed throughout the battle field and explosions sounded off deafeningly whenever fists or bodies would collide none-too-gently into boulders or high cliffs surrounding the area. Breaking away for a quick moment to sheathe her sword back into its case, Katana's hands wove together, forming seals in an impossibly swift pace as she trained all her anger and agony in the dark chakra gathering in her hands. _You can't possibly understand this pain inside me…_

"Denduo Tora!" The roar of a beast followed right after and Katana lunged for Madara once more, swiping the chakra-infused hand at the man in hopes of catching him and hitting him for good. _You can't possibly feel what I've felt when I saw that sea of corpses… _

Every counterattack, every sidestep and dodge that the latter made and every single time he avoided her attacks only fueled the brunette's fiery temper even more. With a growl of frustration under her breath, Katana brushed away the chakra lingering in her hand and slammed both down on the ground, watching coldly as the Uchiha expertly leapt and evaded the glinting black metal bars that sprung up from below.

_You can't understand…you can't feel because you're heartless and dead and cruel and you simply don't care! I will never forgive you for calling their deaths worthless!_

When the powerful man neared her unconsciously as he dodged the sharp rods shooting up from the earth, Katana pulled out her sword and took a sharp intake of breath, her scattered chakra in the area already darkening in frenzy around her form. _This is it! _Pulling back her arm, the girl struck the minute the Uchiha turned around, her blade piercing through Madara's metal armor and out of his back.

The sound of ripping flesh was sickening, but it made the girl's hope rise up to impossible heights. _I've got him. _Narrowing her eyes in triumph, Katana gave into temptation and looked up in order to glare into those merciless eyes, yet instantly regretted the decision. No sooner than when her furious gaze met his leveled stare, every muscle in Katana's body froze against her will and her eyes widened at the realization.

_Genjutsu. No. No, no, no—_

"You are indeed…a very foolish girl." Uchiha Madara breathed out from above her, his grimace deep as he slid out from where he was impaled by the sword, the wound immediately regenerating and healing itself. He stood barely a meter away as he crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the kunoichi with a disappointed stare before stooping down and picking up his discarded gunbai, not once leaving his eyes off hers.

"You were so close…so close to ending me." Madara stated slowly as he carefully observed the growing rage inside the girl's swirling black and gold orbs. "And yet, all it took was a single careless decision to shatter all that hard work." He took a step forward, closing in on her froze form and Katana could do nothing but stare.

Each step slapped against the broken pavement noisily, the sound erupting in her ears like tiny, little explosions. She could only wait, with her breath stuck in her throat, and watch through wide, anxious orbs as the legendary man—the man who was said to be the root of all evil—approached her. Try as hard as she might to focus her chakra in one place and break the genjutsu casted upon her, the girl found herself unable to concentrate. The footsteps were thoroughly distracting, each one purposely heavy and each scraped against the rough ground, agitating the girl's system further into panic and resembling a spring wound tight with tension.

_Dammit, this cannot be happening!_

As soon as he was in front of the girl, Madara bent down and pried the weapon out of Katana's hand without much effort, testing the blade's weight in his hand. "This is a good sword." The Uchiha commented offhandedly, caressing the blade with his fingers without as much as a glance sent to its direction.

Slowly, he raised the weapon to his side and pointed it calmly towards Katana's forehead. From where she was frozen in her place, the brunette's breathing hitched. _I'm going to die._ Katana thought in disbelief and utter stupor, her eyes clouding over with anxiety._ He's going to kill me. I'm going to die…_

"One mistake." Madara murmured, his voice so soft that Katana had a hard time deciphering his words even with the just small distance between them. "In war, one mistake can equate to a great loss. You are strong, kunoichi. Exceptional, even. But there are many things you still don't know about the real world. You rely too much on your emotions and instincts but you do not consult your mind enough. There are no second chances in the real world. That is the truth." Madara said, staring coldly down at the girl.

"And because of that mistake you made, you'll now die by your own weapon." The darkness in his eyes was unyielding and no matter how much the girl tried, Katana cannot manage to avert her gaze away from those empty, dead orbs. He pulled his arm back, the sword in his hand glinting sliver and on the inside, Katana thrashed about relentlessly.

"Goodbye—"

The man's stoic farewell was rudely interrupted by the two powerful kicks delivered to his chest that sent him spiraling a good distance away. Immediately, Katana felt her control over her body return and her eyes widened as she gasped out in pain, her vision blurring into a dim light, her form crumpling down to the ground as her body was reduced to painful spasms and her lungs clenched as they greedily took in air. _Madara. _The name flashed through her mind like a knife stab.

_That bastard… I couldn't end him. I couldn't defeat him. Just when I finally…tch, DAMMIT!_

Knees were scraped as they fell to the earth but they were the least of the girl's worries as a flash of pain coursed through her again. The power she felt running through her veins earlier died so suddenly and left her feeling hollow as she collapsed on her knees. The warmth of her personal shield vanished, along with Susanoo's destructively icy flames. From what seemed like just a few meters away, Katana heard a familiar feminine voice that was none-too gentle as the woman barked out orders.

"Rally the troops! Gather the injured and get the hell out of here!"

Coughing out dust and wheezing in between mouthfuls of much needed air, the girl heard the impending footsteps increasing in number and volume and suddenly, she was engulfed by a crowd, hundreds of shinobi racing past her kneeling form.

Hands settled on her shoulders, on her back and arms, inspecting for any fatal injuries and checking her pulse. Reflexively, she waved away the meddling hands and murmured dismissively about the various open wounds and gashes etched on her body.

"Come on, soldier." Grunted a medic as he pulled her up in a standing position. "Up you go. We've still got a war to win."Katana staggered, feeling nauseated at the new altitude, but she settled on her shaky feet nonetheless, denying any offered help from the med-nins surrounding her. "Thank you." She rasped out weakly, giving the nameless medics a grateful nod before turning her back on them and running towards where shinobi were huddled the most.

"Hey, wait! The troops are going the opposite way, girl!"

The medic's call fell on deaf ears as Katana kept her hurried pace, her earlier anger and disappointment replaced by a sudden need to look for a certain redhead. Despite the still-erratic beating of her racing heart, she could feel the physical pain gradually slip away, fading out into uncomfortable soreness.

Taking a moment to catch her uneven breath, Katana craned her neck to the sides, carefully taking in the ruined terrain and the jagged rocks littering the place. _The army…it seems that they've regrouped. _Ignoring the protests of stiff joints and aching muscles, the brunette resumed her jog, grey eyes searching for a familiarly stoic face amidst the horde of soldiers.

"…the injured. Make sure you take everyone with you. Keep your eyes open for any danger."

The velvet voice drifted to her ears and on instinct, Katana changed direction, hurriedly approaching the largest crowd yet. Without a care, she began to squeeze past the other shinobi, letting the angry protests of the people to fly over her head.

"Sorry. Sorry, please excuse me. Excuse me." She apologized distractedly, the need to see him gnawing on her heavy heart. Finally, the girl found herself reaching the center of the thick crowd and there stood the person she wanted to see from the very start, merely feet away from where her she stood.

"Gaara…" Blinking out of her relieved stupor, the girl managed to run as far as a few meters before Suna shinobi blocked her way for some unknown reason. "This is as far as you go." The gruff tone of the Suna jounin registered in her ears and she looked up at the tall man, her eyes flashing with hidden desperation and plea even when her features turned down into a frown.

"It's okay, I know the Kazekage personally." She argued, trying to evade the guards and failing miserably. "Please, I need to talk to him." The jounins had positioned themselves in a way that reminded her of a sturdy brick wall, stiff and unbendable.

"No can do." The Sunian soldier replied, his voice softening just a bit at the obvious misery reflecting off the younger girl's face. Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight on either feet, fidgeting uncomfortably under the brunette's pleading glare. "We're under strict orders not to let anyone get near the Kages, especially since they're injured." Frowning a little, the guard glanced back at his shoulder in order to look at his commander from afar. "Goodness knows the enemy would blend themselves within the back-up if presented the opportunity…we can't take such risks."

"But I'm not an enemy. You can damn well see that." Clenching her jaws at the boiling frustration she felt when the equally stubborn shinobi didn't reply, Katana resisted the urge to take out her weapon and get it done with. Every second she spent reasoning with the jounin was another second wasted. "Please." She tried again, this time standing on her tiptoes and looking over their broad shoulders to see the redhead still heatedly conversing with the Tsuchikage, looking upset even from a distance.

"Please, I'm his—"

"Aren't ya supposed t' evacuate with the others?" Another one of the guards piped in to cut off her statement. He pointed a finger to the gathering troops behind Katana and frowned. Looking back to follow his gaze, Katana realized that the crowd that surrounded them earlier had long since dissipated and she was left along with the two jounins. "Pretty sure the Kages ordered everyone ta' retreat." The guard explained shortly, looking at her in suspicion.

_They did?_

The troubling question lingered in her mind but she pushed the thought away with a shake of her head, "I'm not going until I talk to Kazekage-sama." Katana dropped her statement, giving up in her method of persuasion, and instead, shoved the guards apart with surprising force, managing to make them stumble but not enough to break them apart.

"Stop that!" Ordered the first jounin, scowling as he held her back when she tried to run from in between them.

"Ya have t' understand—" Supported the one with the accent.

"At ease, Ueno-san, Sato-san."

The Kazekage's voice caused both men to jump away and both turned their heads to see the lean redhead standing regally from behind them. Relief flooded Katana as soon as she laid eyes on his standing form and she allowed herself to scan him up and down, her gaze catching a hold of the multiple bandages wrapped around one of his arms and the awful-looking burns that marred his once smooth hands—the sleeves of his maroon shirt were charred black—before her grey eyes met his sea foam ones.

Slowly, she felt her fears disintegrate from where they were hidden deep and tormenting her heart, vanishing into nothing as if they weren't even there to begin with.

"Gaa—I-I mean, Kazekage-sama." She stuttered out uncertainly, clueless as how to act in front of his subordinates. Fumbling with her hands, she shakily raised one in a weak salute, much to the disapproval of the jounins standing behind her.

"Katana." The redhead said curtly, his gaze desolate and longing as he finished his own inspection of her broken and battered figure. It was obvious enough to anyone that the boy was positively drained of energy, not just physically or mentally—but emotionally as well, if his earlier argument with the Tsuchikage was any indication.

Wrenching his eyes away from her for a moment, he turned to the guards and sent them a slight nod of thanks. "It's alright." He reassured them and for a minute, Katana noticed his infamous stoic mask slide back into place, covering up his emotions. "I know her."

"But Kazekage-sama—"

Their protests were stopped short when the brunette closed the distance between her and the young leader, her movements fluid as she pulled the taller boy against her body, her arms wound tight around his neck and her hands clutching fistfuls of his brown vest. Any remaining thought about following protocol slipped out of her mind completely the minute she saw the all-too-dull glint in his eyes and Katana would be damned if she allowed military etiquette to get in her way now.

The guards' combined shock only increased tenfold when they saw their Kazekage melt inside the kunoichi's hold, his tense shoulders dropping down and his arms wrapping themselves around her waist—so gently, as if he was handling a fragile porcelain doll.

The once-feared redhead was downright docile and suddenly, the Sabaku no Gaara they knew and dreaded their whole lives was no more; in his place was a painfully young lad, vulnerable and weary from the heavy burden that came with being the leader of a village. One of them broke out of his stupor faster than the other could and with an embarrassed cough, the stern jounin dragged his slack-jawed partner away and left the young ones to themselves.

"Gaara", Katana muttered breathlessly when he pressed his face down on the juncture of her neck, his harsh exhales warm against her skin, "Gaara…" She whispered his name lowly, unable to find it in herself to raise her voice and disrupt the quietness surrounding them.

Shutting her weary eyes, the brunette inhaled deeply, ignoring the stabbing pain delivered to her lungs and feeling the waves of tension and fear rolling off the redhead from inside her embrace. She shuddered, the overwhelming distress that the boy caged within him suddenly bursting forth and drowning both of them in dark, negative energy. "Gaara, what happened?"

He didn't answer but his breathing hitched sharply as he tightened his hold on her, blunt nails digging on her hips in a vice-like grip. Burrowing his face further down her collar, Gaara released what sounded like a devastated sigh.

"I'm fine." He told her unconvincingly, his voice lower than a whisper and breaking at the edges. "It's nothing."

"But—your hands...you're injured, where did you—"

Before Katana could continue her question, Gaara pulled away, though the movement was reluctant. He straightened up to his full height and let loose a silent sigh, his hand coming up to wipe away a blood stain from Katana's left cheek. "We need to get going."The brunette clamped her mouth shut, albeit a little grudgingly, and nodded glumly.

"Of course."

She allowed him to lead the way back to where the army had gathered into organized blocks and gradually, Katana could feel her earlier apprehension come back full force. Scanning the majority of the soldiers as she gritted her jaws, Katana took in the sight of broken limbs, unconscious shinobi and bleeding, gaping wounds.

"Are you sure you want me to go with them?" She asked Gaara with a glance sent to his direction, after a quick once-over she sent herself. "I could still fight after all." In comparison to their injuries, Katana considered herself quite fortunate, what with only a few deep lacerations, some minor gashes and a possibly low chakra level earned even after fighting the Uchiha Madara. Much to her surprise and disappointment, the boy shook his head dismally. "No." He answered back, meeting her hardheaded gaze with a weary look. "No one is to stay behind. We five Kages can handle this on our own."

"I know that." Katana said but her deep grimace told the redhead otherwise. Silently, she took one of his burned hands in hers, stiffening guiltily when the boy flinched lightly in pain. "But you're aware that I'm the only one who could enter Susanoo or counter the flames of Amaterasu." She reminded him in a hard tone, looking up to meet his lifeless aquamarine eyes in a leveled stare."There's no doubt Madara would not hesitate to use it again, especially if it grants him such an advantage. Even Tou-sama can't—"

"We'll manage."

Katana glowered at him. "That's not enough."She snapped, her ire only increasing when the redhead pointedly looked away. "Gaara, I can still fight. I've got enough chakra. You know I'm essential in this battle." Her gaze hardened, her words losing their gentleness as the girl reverted back to being the battle-worn soldier she was trained to be. "Not to overestimate my abilities, but both you and I know damn well that I can be of great help here." Clenching her fists when the latter refused to meet her eyes, Katana let loose an aggravated growl, fighting the urge to shove the redhead for being so overbearing, "I'm not leaving you! Sending me away would be idiotic—"

"I'm not going to let you fight in that condition."

"Don't be stupid." Katana snarled in a combination of offense and outrage. "You're practically in the same predicament!" The outburst earned them a few stares, here and there, the shinobi surrounding them stunned to the point of being speechless at the sight of a kunoichi talking back to their Commander General. Despite being the center of unwanted attention, the two only had eyes for each other, both glaring at the latter with all their might.

Not unlike her, Gaara's eyes narrowed into his infamous glare but the look didn't have its desired effect on the girl. On the contrary, it seemed to have even further riled her up. Recognizing an impending defeat, Gaara looked away and balled his fists, using his last resort. "Katana, you need to understand—"

Katana's eyes flashed. "Understand _what_?" She snarled, her own hands coiling into tight fists, "That this is foolish and—"

"That I'm scared." Gaara snapped back, the sudden force in his tone startling the girl into silence. "I can't concentrate when you're here." He lifted up both his hands, presenting her the fresh and sickeningly red burns that damaged his skin. "When I saw you jump into Susanoo, I lost all sense of reasoning." He confessed, his voice dropping into a shamed murmur but his stubborn gaze never wavered. "I ran, without any rational thought, and I jumped into Susanoo to try and save you."

Grimacing, he withdrew his hands back down to his sides and clenched them once more. "Temari and Naruto pulled me out just before the flames could consume me. You have to understand—as Commander General, I can't afford to be distracted with being concerned with you right now."

Tension crackled between them as Katana stared at him in a mixture of disbelief and hurt and Gaara gathered his remaining willpower in order for his resolve not to crumble at her upset expression. The rebellious moisture gathering in her eyelids were making him nauseous, knowing that he was the cause of her unshed tears.

Grey eyes trailed down and fixed themselves at the injuries again, a lump in her throat steadily growing in size. Guilt seized her heart and her gut churned, the girl feeling the urge to throw up the contents of her stomach at the knowledge that she had almost indirectly caused the redhead to die. More than that, his words were painful and biting, his statement hitting home.

_**I can't afford to be distracted with being concerned with you right now.**_

With a broken breath, Katana tore her eyes away from his hands, one of her tight fists uncurling to send the Kazekage a mocking salute. "Fine." She said in a venomous whisper, more of guilty than anything else, as she dropped her salute sharply, making the redhead wince. "As you wish, _Kazekage-sama._"

Never before did the title make him feel so unwanted.

Watching helplessly as the girl stiffly marched past him and towards the gathering troops, Gaara shrugged off his wounded pride and called out desperately, "Katana." His long-fingered hands caught her wrist before she could move out of his reach. Thankfully, the young woman still had the heart to look back at him, no matter how vicious the glance was. "_What_?" She demanded and suddenly, warmth surrounding her form, his arms wrapped around her once again and her front pressed flush against his sturdy chest. Anger drained away from her system against her will.

"Stay safe." Gaara whispered as a last minute reminder, his heart squeezing in pain. "The hourglass I gave you…hold onto it."His words reverberated endlessly inside the girl's ears and Katana noted, with a tight clench of her chest, that the redhead might have just uttered his last words.

Gritting her jaws, Katana shoved his arms away and made a rough grab for his collar, pulling him down to her level before the redhead could utter a protest. Their mouths aligned, lips crashing with intensity they'd never experience before. The kiss was desperate and demanding, with their hands clutching each other for support and reassurance and their eyes pressed close, blocking out the rest of the world.

Parting when they were reminded that breathing was a necessity, Katana gasped breathlessly and stepped away, inhaling deeply before saying her goodbye. "Stay alive." She deadpanned, her tone leaving no room for argument as she pointed a menacing finger at him before miserably turning her back on him, jogging to join the troops.

Her retreating form carved itself into his mind, forever haunting him.

* * *

**It continues at the next chapter -**


	46. Chapter 44-2 Till death do us part (pt2)

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 44: Till death do us part

The drab color of the tent walls was driving her to the edge of insanity. The silence and peacefulness that flitted about inside the medical camp was a little too forced to ever be genuine and everyone was always slightly aware of the hidden tension that hung in the atmosphere.

The depressed looks from the weary medics and the occasional screams of pain from one of the patients didn't boost anyone's morale either. From where she sat on a medical berth, Katana stared at the thin air, her eyes reflecting back the empty space. Clutched in her hands was the hourglass necklace, looking like some kind of holy relic.

"Katana-san."

The mention of her name snapped her out of her trance and the brunette looked up slowly, blinking at the concerned-looking shinobi that carried a tray. "Kyosuke-san." She regarded silently, her voice a slow drawl. "You're here."

"Hai." The med-nin nodded as he set down the tray in his hands, his mouth still fixed in a worried frown. Reaching for a chair, he pulled it to where he stood and settled down on the seat. "We received direct orders from Shizune-taichou to return to medical camp immediately. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you." He apologized. "You disappeared all of a sudden, too…"

Katana allowed the conversation to die down, not really in the mood to continue talking or to talk at all, for that matter. Although aware of the questioning gaze the boy pinned on her, she didn't comment on it, choosing instead to look down at the necklace in her hands.

The sand inside danced with hypnotizing grace and energy and for the first time since she was old enough to fight battles, Katana found herself relinquishing all hope to an inanimate object. Was the situation really so hopeless that she found herself confiding to a thin necklace for some sort of pathetic reassurance? Whatever the answer may be, Katana found herself unable to care anymore.

"I-If I may ask", Kyosuke began again, breaking the spell of silence, and Katana felt an overwhelming urge to close her eyes and sigh, "what happened to you, Katana-san?" There was an innocent kind of sadness lacing his soothing voice, making the brunette's glum mood somewhat lighten up. In this time of war, innocence from an individual was rare and Katana knew that some part of her desperately wanted to gain it back, that innocence that was taken away from her in an all-too early time.

The medic continued with a clear of his throat, "You seem so…" He hesitated. "…hollow."

"That's what happens to a person when she gets subjected to war, Kyosuke." Katana answered quietly, extracting one hand from the necklace in order to brush back the strands of hair that fell forward to frame the sides of her sickly pale face. "She breaks, and not just literally." Her words floated in the atmosphere above and if it was possible, it made the tension even heavier. Kyosuke's eyes softened at the edges and his frown dropped into a small line. It was the first time Katana had seen him without any kind of emotion showing in his normally expressive face.

"I'm sorry to hear that…"He said sadly and reached out, his large hand covering Katana's smaller ones. "It's not fair for you to be suffering from this war." Shaking her head, the girl corrected him, "It's not fair for anyone to be suffering this."

Unlike the hands she was used to holding, Kyosuke's hand was soft and smooth, not calloused from the years of holding a weapon or punching training wood posts. The Kiri-nin in managed a big, quirky smile when Katana looked up and the girl's heart clenched, suddenly missing the faint but loving smile a certain redhead always sent her way as a reassurance. It was always way better than any wide, blinding grin from anyone else.

"It's okay, Katana-san." Kyosuke reassured, beaming brightly as if their previous conversation wasn't depressing at all. "You're going to be just fine. You can rest here as long as you want." The boy said, not at all understanding that the medical camp was the last place Katana wanted to be in.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Letting go of the brunette's hands, Kyosuke went to retrieve a bowl from the tray he brought in and he sat back down on the chair. "Here." He said, offering the bowl of soup to the girl. "I'm sure you're hungry. Here, eat."

Katana shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not feeling—"

"But Katana-san—"

"It's quite fine, Kyosuke."

"B-But Katana-san! Please, you need to—"

The sound of stiff footsteps interrupted Kyosuke's whining and without warning, the flaps of the tent were pushed aside to reveal a fuming pink-haired girl. "Kyosuke-san", Sakura scolded as made her way over them and crossed her arms tightly, making the other medic flinch in guilt, "I told you not to bother her."

"But I'm not bothering her, Haruno-san." Kyosuke defended weakly, glancing back at Katana for help. "I merely brought her food. I thought she might be hungry." At his answer, the kunoichi looked over him to gaze inquiringly at her friend, who gave her a withering look in order to convey her feelings. Sakura pursed her mouth and planted her hands at her hips, her emerald eyes going back to Kyosuke's hopeful face.

"Well, be it as it may", she said, "I'd like it if I'll be the one to watch over her. I've been wanting to talk to her anyway." Kyosuke's face fell and he released a sigh, his legs pushing to stand up. "Alright." He said and pushed the bowl into Katana's hands before making his leave, sending Katana a last smile before disappearing out of the tent.

From where she stood at the entrance, Sakura slowly walked towards the table, picked the bowl up and made her way to the chair Kyosuke had earlier sat upon. The medic handed the soup to her friend before sitting down. "So…" Sakura began with an explosively sigh, her stiff form deflating as she allowed her exhaustion to show.

At the sight of her friend, Katana softened her blank gaze and she forced a bit of gentleness to seep in her tone as she spoke, "Thank you for that." She said, reclining and letting her back fall against the wooden headboard of the bed. "He was starting to get a little too much to handle."

The pink-haired girl chuckled tiredly. "Tell me about it." She snorted and rolled her beautiful jade green eyes, making Katana smile weakly at the familiar gesture. "He's cute and he means well, but I guess he can be a little overbearing at times. He tends to pick the worst moments, ne?" Settling for a small beam, Sakura scanned the brunette's hunched form before meeting her cloudy grey eyes.

"So you guys know each other? Who knew…" She said, making small talk in order to calm the latter down.

"Yes. We met at Division One. He was assigned there, if I remember correctly."

"Ah. That explains a lot." Nodding distractedly, Sakura looked down at the untouched bowl of soup that sat on Katana's lap and scowled slightly. "Hey, eat." The girl said sternly, glaring at her teammate in order to catch her attention. "Just because I'm the one taking care of you doesn't mean you're allowed to ignore the doctor's orders. Now start chewing." The pink-haired girl relaxed when Katana reluctantly picked up a spoonful, the brunette making a face before she stuck it inside her mouth and ate slowly. "There. That's better."

The deafening silence crept up to them once more as Katana ate and Sakura tiredly watched, the noise of the medics and shinobi outside of the tent becoming nothing more than a soft buzz to the girls' ears. On her sixth spoonful of the surprisingly edible soup, Katana dropped the spoon back and let it submerge into the liquid, looking up at the exhausted girl when she hummed.

There was a beat and then Sakura resumed speaking, "I heard you and the Kazekage made quite a scene. Is that why you're so sullen?"

From where she passively sat, Katana's head snapped up in surprise and she frowned thoughtfully. "So you've heard…" Placing the bowl of cold soup back on the bedside table, Katana nodded once as an answer to Sakura's raised brow of inquiry. "It's true that we argued, if that's what you're asking. But it wasn't so much as a scene as it was a heated discussion." She corrected with a sigh and raked her fingers through her hair, applying pressure to ease the growing pain from within her skull.

When it didn't help, the girl contained a scowl of frustration and instead dropped her hand back down on her lap in defeat. "I wanted to stay and fight; he didn't. We argued, he won. It's as simple as that." There was a tinge of anger coloring her tone but it was gone as soon as it came, sadness overcoming her irritation quickly. "And now I'm stuck here…and I don't know what to do anymore…"

Across her, Sakura made a noise of understanding. The rose-haired girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her green eyes flickering in concern as she watched her teammate's expression change from one of exhaustion into a blank mask devoid of any emotion, though her grey eyes constantly flashed, as if she was in a trance. The unnatural pallor the girl was sporting was beginning to worry her greatly and the occasional blotches of dried blood in Katana's skin were of no reassurance either.

"You're worried for him." Sakura finally stated, after a few seconds of critically observing the quiet girl. "…Yeah." Replied Katana slowly, blinking twice at the empty space on her white sheets. Her hands, which were spread on the bed sheet, contracted suddenly, catching some of the fabric and crumpling it inside her tight grip. "Of course I am."

As the cold feeling of dread filled her again, Katana instinctively reached up a hand, her fingers curling possessively around the necklace. "He's fighting against the most dangerous man that ever lived. I think I have the right to be worried."

"Hey now…" Forcing a smile to cheer up the seemingly permanently glum girl, Sakura stood from her seat and sat instead on the edge of the mattress, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. To her relief, Katana didn't shrug away the hand, though she made no move to acknowledge the medic either.

"You should have a little more faith in him." Sakura whispered comfortingly, her hand dropping from Katana's shoulder down to her back where it rubbed soothing circles through the brunette's navy shirt. "He's not the youngest Kazekage for nothing, you know." Clearing her throat awkwardly when the teasing remark only caused the latter to tense, Sakura added, "Besides, it's not like Gaara's fighting Uchiha Madara alone. The others are there with him." The pink-haired girl beamed brightly, nudging Katana, "Tsunade-shishou's there too."

"I know that." Katana shot back in a weak croak as she forced out a lopsided, upward quirk of her mouth. Releasing a long sigh, she slowly detached herself from the pink-haired girl's hold, keeping up a faint smile on her expression all the while in order for the latter not to reach out again. "I'm okay now. Thank you." She told Sakura, settling down on the pristine, white bed that smelled too clean to be natural.

Reluctantly, the medic nodded and stood up, gesturing towards the entrance. "I should get going." Sakura said, glancing at Katana with a flash of fleeting worry in her green eyes. "You sure you'll be fine?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Gnawing uncertainly on her lower lip, Sakura studied the girl once more, taking in the thin smile painting Katana's ashen face. "I'll check on your injuries later."

"Okay."

"Don't move too much. You might open your stitches."

"Okay."

"Rest, Katana, alright? I'm serious."

"I will."

"Alright…" Huffing out a tired breath and allowing her stern expression to fade away, Sakura wiggled her fingers in a goodbye. "Bye, Katana."

Keeping one hand clutched at the necklace, Katana raised a limp hand, waving halfheartedly. "Bye, Sakura." As soon as Sakura disappeared from behind the tent flaps and became just one of the many disfigured shadows dancing outside, the brunette dropped her arm, along with the force smile, with an inaudible exhale and closed her bloodshot eyes. Under her grip, she reveled in the smooth, cool feel of the glass, the brush of sand against the surface comparable to the reassuring pulse of a living person.

_**As long as I'm alive…the sand inside that hourglass will never stop swirling.**_Pressing her closed eyes tighter, Katana breathed out a shaky sigh and sucked in a broken breath, reigning in the stinging tears that threatened to slip out. She could almost hear his voice, deep and smooth, a low, unending whisper inside her mind. Inside her hold, the hourglass suddenly weighed down, the thin string pulling at her neck as if getting heavier, heavier…

Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, Katana opened her eyes and peered down at her hand, at the hourglass that laid there in an innocent manner. The minute she focused her tired gaze on the pendant, grey eyes widened and froze, fear seizing her heart. The sand that once danced in a lively manner, specks of dirt drifting across the spotless glass teasingly, had gathered on the bottom, completely motionless.

_No…_

* * *

When Katana finally reached the battlefield, four of her stitched wounds had reopened themselves and bled like rivers once more. Her mind was racing and her heart ached, whether from exertion or from fear, she wasn't certain any longer. An endless mantra played inside her head, over and over, for the sake of her thinning sanity.

_No… He's not dead. He's not dead. He's got to be here, he's not dead…_

Despite the discomfort of stinging wounds and her uneven gasping, Katana continued running, ignoring the burn of her screaming, stiff muscles. Grey eyes scanned her surroundings, the terrain even more wrecked than when she and Madara had fought.

It was a depressing sight of broken rocks, broken weapons and the occasional corpse that was left behind, of crumbling rocky mountain walls and deep craters carved from the ground, of gray smoke, dust and pools of crimson blood. As she ran, the noises got louder and louder to the point of being deafening, each seemingly more destructive than the last one.

"…will never win. Forfeit!"

Whipping around at the booming command, Katana turned just in time to brace herself and plant her feet firmly on the ground before a violent gust of wind and chakra rushed towards her direction, threatening to carry her off with its impact. The killing intent in the atmosphere was almost too powerful, too suffocating for any human being to be able to withstand. Looking up, Katana blanched at the sight of a humongous creature bathed in dark flames, enormous enough for its head to reach the sky. Grey eyes widened impossibly and Katana choked on the stuffy air as her heart skipped a beat.

_T-That's…S-Susanoo._

Regaining her sense of reality, the brunette shoved back down the feeling of hesitation and pushed her legs to sprint to where the humanoid was. The closer she went, the louder the explosions of battle were and the terrain was reduced to nothing but white ash and flying dust.

Finally, the girl neared enough to be able to see two figures in the middle of a large, rocky clearing, one standing tall and majestic, drowning inside a cocoon of cold fire and the other a crumpled, broken form, half-limping and covered in blood and shifty tendrils of sand.

Without warning, Madara attacked, needing only a subtle flick of his wrist in order to bring the Susanoo's gleaming sword down on the Kazekage. The sight made the girl run even faster towards the battlefield despite the searing pain in her calves and her grey eyes fixed themselves at the second person, knowing all too well that the shock of red hair could possibly belong to one person.

Chakra shot through her veins painfully before she herself could even register it and suddenly Katana found herself shoving the redhead out of the way, her eyes blazing obsidian and gold and her whole body tingling as a wall of black flames came up to her defense, clashing easily with Madara's Susanoo.

The resulting explosion was bone-chilling and it sent a row of scorching flames to backfire at both parties, blowing Katana away from where she stood and sending Madara Uchiha to collide against the mountain behind him with a deafening boom.

White hot pain exploded inside Katana's head as she hit the earth roughly and with a low groan, she pushed herself up shakily, pressing a hand down on the wound on her temple that sputtered out blood. The shield around her vanished just as easily as it came and Katana noted with a worried grimace that she'd reached her chakra limit.

"Katana?"

Craning her head to the side, the girl let out a breath of relief for the first time since she sneaked out of the medical camp. Her heart had found its use once more, now racing and banging angrily against her ribcage, like a crazed prisoner desperate to get out. "What are you doing here?" Gaara demanded with an upset crease of his forehead, staggering his way over to where the girl was. Up close, Katana could see the streaks of blood smeared across the boy's ashen face, the dark rings around his eyes thicker than ever, making him look ghoulish. Her gaze shifted to where one of his hands pressed down on his left side, blood seeping through his torn vest and between his long fingers.

"I thought I told you to stay away." Gaara reprimanded crossly, stiffening when a wave of nausea and pain washed through his body.

"And I thought I told you to stay alive." Katana snapped back in a tone that contained more hysterical relief than actual anger. Averting her eyes from his face, her gaze flickered warily to where Madara had collided. The man was still hadn't come into view and the thick smoke and layer of dust made it impossible to see what was happening on the other side.

"We need to get out of here." She said grimly and beside her, Gaara gave a drained nod of agreement. "Madara's bound to return. Where are the other Kage—"

Before she could finish her question, the sound of shifting rubble made the two of them jump apart and both young shinobi fixed their apprehensive glares on the figure that slowly emerged from within the thick fog of dirt. The appearance of Uchiha Madara was unsurprising but frightening all the same, paper-like particles attaching themselves to his shoulder to form a missing arm.

"You're here again, girl." Madara remarked from across the field, the distance between them failing to make his voice any less cold. "I wonder, did you not understand the lesson I imparted earlier?" The man took a taunting step forward and the couple tensed simultaneously. "Perhaps the near-death encounter you had was not enough…" Turning his attention to the boy that stood beside Katana, Madara frowned in obvious displeasure. "And you, young _Kazekage_", he uttered the title in a mocking drawl, "it seems that I've yet to kill you."

"You're _not_ touching him." Katana hissed in outrage and sudden fear, clenching her fists by her sides as she placed herself in front of the badly injured redhead, hiding him from Madara's sight. Grey faded from her eyes as darkness and speckled gold took over and Katana bared her teeth in a monstrous snarl. "I'm not letting you." The shield of flames returned, along with the sensation of adrenaline, as gold cracks etched themselves on her skin. Behind the livid kunoichi, Gaara calmly gathered his remaining strength and summoned a wall of sand to surround them, quietly offering the girl extra protection unbeknownst to her.

"Oh?" Madara echoed in growing amusement, raising an eyebrow at the girl's odd reaction. "What's this? A loyal follower, Kazekage?" Not waiting for an answer, the legendary man charged, a creature of bones and fire quickly building around him.

The air shifted violently when Katana surged forward as well, slamming her hands down on the ground, and the chorus of beastly roars were heard as lightning and flame in the shape of tigers pierced through Susanoo, pouncing on the Uchiha. Her attack was followed by a barrage of sand, thick ropes of the tiny particles wrapping around the humanoid and squeezing until the bones of chakra shattered under the harsh grip.

"Don't relax just yet!" Madara bellowed as he shot out of the smoke and jerked his hand, Susanoo's sword forming and swinging to the side to catch the girl. Sand rose up protectively to block the blow, breaking as it received the full impact but the action was enough to buy the kunoichi the needed time to leap and sprint away. Sliding her fingers together, Katana fluidly weaved seals and brought a fist down, rows of black poles shooting up from the ground at her command and some successfully impaling Uchiha Madara into place. "Now, Gaara!" Katana yelled out as she did another Dendou Tora and watched as the lightning beast sank its teeth into Madara's shoulder, "Seal him now!"

"I'm on it!" Gaara replied, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he raised his arms despite the searing pain on his side, his breathing coming out in sharp, ragged intakes of air as a sea of sand rose up from the ground and crashed against the broken form of Susanoo, burying Uchiha Madara alive.

Clenching his teeth as bullet of cold sweat ran down the sides of his face, Gaara forcefully manipulated the dense sand, his limbs shaking at the weight of the particles. The sand shifted restlessly, dancing with deadly accuracy as it took the form of a looming pyramid and soon it was finished, leaving both teenagers in a resounding silence.

_We did it._ The statement echoed inside the girl's mind in a mixture of disbelief and growing suspicion. _We sealed him. We sealed Uchiha Madara…_ Her thoughts were interrupted by another sudden realization and Katana turned, slowly facing the redhead that stood merely meters away from her, his expression mirroring her own incredulity and remaining unease.

"Let's get out of here." Gaara suggested gravely after a moment of catching up with his erratic breathing, his eyes shifting constantly to glance at their surroundings. "We're not safe here."

"Of course." Katana agreed readily, reluctantly allowing herself to drop her guard and relax. The sight of the redhead on his feet was enough reassurance and the girl found herself finally breathing properly. "Come on. We need to find the other Kage. I wonder where Tou-sama is…"

"Last I saw him, Raikage-sama collapsed on top of a pile of debris. He's somewhere northeast, I think." Gaara said thoughtfully, allowing himself to gradually relax as well. The redhead took a step forward, and that was all it took for their newfound peace to shatter like fragile glass, a broken gasp pushing past Gaara's lips as something sharp and cold pierced through his back and came out from his right side, the tip of Susanoo's sword peeking out of the wound.

Aquamarine eyes flickered up from where it stared at the gaping wound to meet Katana's frozen expression of horror and Gaara coughed out blood. "K-Ka…tana…" He gasped out in agony and clenched his eyes shut tight as the weapon was pulled out violently from where it was embedded on his flesh. "R-Run…"

The boy fell limp onto the ground below, a dull thud resounding at the impact and Uchiha Madara was revealed from where he had materialized so suddenly from behind the Kazekage. His eyes met Katana's fear-stricken gaze, the black and red of his eyes nowhere to be found. Instead, rings of endless violet were in their place and Katana's breath hitched inside her throat.

_R-Rinnegan…_

Memories of destruction, of death, of Pain, flooded her mind and fear welled up inside her, growing too big, too fast, and it consumed every rational thought in her head.

Madara clicked his tongue against his teeth and shook his head in disappointment, his arms crossing over his armored chest. "I told you not to relax yet." Before Katana could even process what was happening, an impossible force lifted her off her feet and slammed her against a far-off boulder, the collision sounding off with a noisy crash. Pain shot through her body like knife stabs and Katana collapsed on the earth with a stifled cry of agony, the sickening crack of bones resonating inside her ringing ears.

Shakily pushing herself up with her elbows, her stomach dropped down into a pit of dread and nausea as the invisible power swept her up again. She forced her eyes shut as she was flung to the opposite side and Katana awaited the exploding agony, only to collide dully against something softer than broken rocks and far grainier than the hard ground.

"You're still alive." Madara's incredulous statement made the girl lift her head up feebly, her bleary eyes blinking into focus through the red veil that blurred her vision. Narrowing her eyes enough to be able to see clearly, she watched as the legendary figure grimaced down at the unmoving body near his legs and as his scowl deepened, the Uchiha sent a merciless kick at the injured boy on the ground. As his feet came in contact, Katana was suddenly dropped to the ground, the sand losing its grip on her as Gaara screamed in pain.

"S-Stop it!" The brunette yelled in rage, momentarily forgetting her fear and own suffering when her ears registered the redhead's voice. Ignoring the creak of bones and the appalling crunch of her ribs when she forced herself upright, Katana released a sharp exhale and drew her weapon out with one hand, the other hand pressing down to a sore spot on her ribcage. "Get away from him, you bastard!"

Madara's response was an irritated flick of his hand and suddenly Katana was sent off flying through the air once more, her side crashing down on the ground. Jagged rocks sliced her skin open and Katana swallowed back a scream, her quivering form insistently standing up again even when crimson liquid poured out of the other half of her body like water and her sword was missing from her grip.

"G-Get…away from him!"

"Still standing? My, my, how stubborn."

The girl felt the force again, too strong and too fast to counter, as she was brought down and slammed against the awaiting ground. With a grit of her teeth, she accepted the agony without complaint and waited for her breath to even before pushing herself up, raising her head in order to glare at the man from underneath her bleeding eyebrows.

"You sick bastard—" No sooner than when the insult left her, Katana was sent hovering in the air for a quick second before she found herself on the ground once again, lying limply as a mess of broken bones, torn muscles and bruises and pools of blood.

Before she could even recover from the fifth assault, the brunette went flying for the nth time, up, up, up and then suddenly plummeted down with a deafening boom. The collision left her lying inside a gaping crater and Katana gasped as pain racked her body, flowing in endless waves and feeling like a nightmarish torture. Her lungs were burned with effort at every breath she drew, her limbs felt like liquid lead, her heart alternating between beating painfully and then suddenly stopping in protest.

Somewhere from within her stomach, her gut lurched rebelliously and she curled up on herself, clammy and weak fists clawing at the dirt as Katana dry heaved violently and threw up blood, along with whatever remained inside her stomach. The metallic taste of blood left a bitter sensation on her tongue and her throat ached at the force of her vomiting.

"Look at yourself." Uchiha Madara's mocking voice was nothing more than a jumbled mess in her ears and pounding head, as the girl focused on not throwing up for the second time around. Everything else simply felt like an incoherent and undecipherable disarray of noise and white light; the only thing that existed for certain was the pain. "Did I not make myself clear yet? You're of no match to me."

There were shuffling footsteps not so far away but Katana had no strength left to care, the girl tiredly blinking her clouded eyes slowly, watching with faint interest as droplets of blood traveled from her forehead and then down to her eyelids, making her see crimson. There was silence from Madara's part and for a moment, Katana fully hoped that he had gotten bored and left them, but he appeared so suddenly in front of her and the hope vanished.

"Why are you doing this?" Madara asked out of the blue, his tone reflecting off genuine curiosity and confusion as he dropped into a crouch and eyed the half-dead girl sprawled on the dirt. "You are from Konoha, are you not?" He asked again, eyes of violet rings traveling to inspect the girl's torn green vest. "Why are you so loyal to the boy then? I'm afraid I do not understand." He narrowed his eyes and thinned his lips into a thoughtful grimace, standing up to his full height. "You could have run away. You could have escaped already when I struck the Kazekage…and yet, you did not."

When silence answered him, Madara released a sardonic snort and turned back, walking towards the Kazekage again but not before summoning the girl's sword into his grip. "It seems that you've finally given up. I am impressed, though", he added as he continued his way over to the redheaded boy, "that someone such as yourself had come this far but alas", raising the sword up, Uchiha Madara glanced at her shortly before turning his attention back to the unresponsive body in front of him, "all your efforts were all in vain—"

"D…Don't."

Halting his movements, the Uchiha craned his head back, surprise crossing his expression as he saw the girl force herself up once again to her unsteady feet only to crumple back down onto her knees with a pained wheeze. He watched the struggling girl with growing interest, his gaze fixing themselves on her eyes, which had gone back into the grey that they were originally.

From where she knelt—tiny rocks, sharp and rough digging into her skin—Katana coughed weakly, the action causing crimson liquid to escape and trickle down the sides of her mouth, "S-Spare him." Katana stood up wobblingly, staggering with effort and concentration and threatening to collapse with every step she took nearer the redhead.

"Spare him…Please."

Frowning in thought as the girl stumbled with her footing and fell to the dirt, Madara looked down at the weapon he had at hand, "And whose life do you suggest I take then, girl?" He rumbled in question, stepping aside and allowing the brunette to crawl her way towards the unconscious redhead like a pathetic worm. He watched as the kunoichi dropped her head down on the boy's bloody chest, gasping and choking in pain, desperately trying to consume air. "Should I take yours instead?"

"I…don't care." Katana's answer was immediate, clear and devoid of hesitance despite her erratic breathing. She paid him no heed, her shaking hands clumsily pawing at the boy's neck, bloody fingers feeling for a pulse, a sign of life, anything…

"T-Throw me…away a-again. K-Kill me…Hurt m…me…" Clenching her teeth as a sharp pain shot from her head down to the tips of her toes, Katana stopped her ministrations on the boy for a moment in order to clutch at her torso and cough out blood to the side, "I don't…care. J-Just please…" She gripped a fistful of Gaara's collar, frustration and desperation gnawing at her tired heart when she failed to find a pulse, "…Spare him."

From where he stood passively and watched as if a mere passer-by, Madara blinked slowly, mulling over the girl's words. Finally, he sighed, though the sound did nothing to deter the brunette's attention away from the boy. "You are, without a doubt, very foolish." He stated coldly, taking a step in order to close the distance between him and the kneeling kunoichi.

"You ask me to spare his life and not yours…I will never understand. He is as good as dead anyway."

Raising the sword up, Madara struck down without hesitation, unblinking even when blood sprayed across his face and a pitiful gasp of agony ripped itself out of the girl's throat. He took a step back, turned on his heel and spared the crumpled form a last glance and finally vanished.

"N-No…" Choking on the blood that rose up her throat, Katana coughed and wheezed, shutting her eyes at the cold agony radiating from the spot on her back where her sword was embedded. "Gaara…y-you can't—die…" She brought her forehead down against his, watching helplessly as droplets of blood splattered down on the boy's pale face. Desperate tears welled in her eyes and the girl clawed at the redhead's vest from below her, letting out a heartbreaking scream.

"NO!"

Clammy fingers pressed themselves against Gaara's neck once more, the other hand gripping at the boy's wrist at the same time in a desperate attempt. "You can't die. You can't die. Gaara…Gaara. Gaara. G-Gaara, PLEASE!" Katana screamed again, placing her hands on the boy's chest and releasing a wave of chakra to flow into the boy's body, her palms radiating a golden glow.

"You can't die. You can't die." She repeated frenziedly, her voice rough and hoarse and so, so desperate. "You can't die!" Katana pressed her eyes tight, focusing all her emotions in gathering her chakra. Feeling the sickening flow of blood travel down her arms, she used that as well, ignoring the white, hot pain and the disgusting scent of burning flesh in favor of the increasing golden radiance beneath her hands.

"You can't die! I won't allow it!"

Blinding light flashed from behind closed lids and suddenly, despite the ceaseless agony and the gnawing hollowness from inside her, Yotsuki Katana felt a pulse, the beat of a heart finding an easy rhythm once more and the girl fell limp on top of the boy, collapsing into broken sobs and incoherent murmurs of relief. Gripping his face in between her bloodied hands, Katana pressed her lips against Gaara's, painting his mouth crimson as well.

"I love you…" She choked out in a weak sob, sliding her hands through his soft hair, as her heart beat slowed abnormally from inside her chest.

"I love you…I love you…I'm…sorry…"

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Extra Notes: **I've made it too tragic...Oops? B-But don't worry! There's more coming, I swear, it's not the end! Don't cry, okay? Don't cry! There, there...

Oh, and don't kill me either!

**Leave a review~!**


	47. Chapter 45 Waking to a nightmare

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 45: Waking to a nightmare

There was darkness; too much darkness and too much cold in the surroundings, and the agony he felt was relentless, making the boy on the cold, hard ground wonder '_why?_' exactly. Try as hard as he might, he couldn't rack his mind for any useful information, for anything at all to remind him why he was suffering the way he was. All he remembered were the explosions, the smell of smoke, dirt and blood, and the bone-chilling screams that rang in his ears.

The more he thought about it, the more his head seemed to split apart in agony. The pain was the most overwhelming, he decided. It wasn't as painful as it had felt when Shukaku was extracted from him—nothing could compare to that moment; the pain was borderline inhumane—but the current agony coursing through his body remained unbearable nonetheless.

There was a source of endless noise too, just a few steps away from where he was, but the constant stream of statements were difficult to decipher using a pounding brain and so only some of the words were recognizable.

"…I know that, but when?"

"…have to wait, I'm sorry. You know there's too much…"

"—could've died. I don't know what I'd…"

"Don't go there, Tem. We promised not to say—"

In the chaotic mess of voices, one voice stood out the most, whispering quietly, softly inside his ear and it made him want to never wake nor open his eyes and acknowledge the others surrounding him, despite the pain and the cold. It repeated his name over and over and over, chanting it like a prayer and the boy suddenly remembered the sensation of cool tears dropping against his face, the acrid scent of blood lingering near him.

_Gaara. Gaara. Gaara, Please… You can't die. I won't let you…_

Was that what was happening? Was he dying? Why then, did it feel so painful?

The voice gradually became sadder, somehow broken and hysterical, sounding as if the person—the _girl_—breathing in his ear was sobbing or perhaps, gasping in pain. _I love you, I love you…_ Though still uncertain, the shinobi could feel dread creeping up his heart, making breathing difficult, making his aching head hurt even more so.

There was something wrong, he knew it, and yet, the pain in his bones rendered him unable to move, unable to do anything but listen. There was something about this girl that bothered him greatly and made his chest tighten against his will, almost as if his heart wanted to give up on him.

_I love you, I love you…I love you…_

Somewhere behind the veil of darkness covering his sight, the chaos and noise had increased drastically. Not only were the people shouting—angry, terrified and startled— but there was an alarming series of high, shrill beeps of a machine as well, drowning out the murmurs of the girl in his head. Furrowing his brows in bewilderment and sudden terror, Gaara reached out to his side, willing his hands to come in contact with the girl whispering in his ear but came across nothing but thin air.

Fear seized his system and the redhead desperately searched the darkness, trying and failing to find the girl hiding from within the shadows. _'Don't go',_ he wanted to say, as his hands blindly grasped for something, anything, _'don't leave me._' The girl's voice was barely audible now, fading away with the rest of the pitch blackness and the pain.

_I love you…I love you…I'm sorry…_

Suddenly, light exploded from beneath his eyelids and Sabaku no Gaara sat up with a gasp, his aquamarine eyes wide and crazed, the agony threatening to consume his body. Everyone inside the tent halted their movements, frozen in disbelief as they stared at the boy with a shock of blood red hair plastered on his sweat-drenched forehead but the boy himself could care less about being the center of unwanted attention, his mind racing, a haze of confusion and panic clouding his rational thinking.

'_What happened? Where am I? What am I doing here? Why does it hurt so much?'_

The barrage of questions was overwhelming and it did nothing but worsen his lack of breath. With a pained hiss, the boy clutched at his aching head and his eyes watered slightly as he noticed a little too late that his throat was too dry for comfort. There was a burning sensation both in his torso and his back, his muscles feeling stiff and taut, almost as if he hadn't used them in his whole life.

Looking down, Gaara noticed—with a rapidly developing feeling of nausea—that his whole upper body was wrapped in white bandages and the dried spots of blood indicated exactly where it hurt the most. The burning pain in his back worsened as well, if possible.

There was a moment of ringing silence, and then a flash of what could be considered as a memory whizzed through his mind: of him lying with his back against the rough rocks, of a voice, deep and rumbling, that constantly spewed out incoherent words, of immense pain, the feeling of something cold and sharp piercing through his very soul.

There was a fleeting moment wherein he remembered exactly how he had felt back then, the fear, outrage and overwhelming worry for somebody else threatening to drive him insane; but it was gone so fast that he was once more forced to feel the sharp throb of pain of his healing wounds.

Evening out his ragged breathing and acknowledging, for the first time, the scared crowd of people standing before him, the redhead stiffened and the fear that he felt earlier returned with intensity tenfold of that of the previous. He fixed his apprehensive gaze on one of the anxious people dressed in white—a medic, he realized—and asked in a low, hoarse whisper, "What's…going on?"

The medic squeaked under the inquiry and sent the others a hasty glance asking for assistance before blinking nervously at the young man whose aquamarine stare seemed to never waver and yet at the same time, looked so lost. "C-Call them in!" He told another medic, hurriedly shoving him out of the tent. "Hurry, Isamu!"

"H-Hai!"

No sooner than when the latter had said it, he entered the tent once more, this time bringing with him two more people in tow and Gaara allowed himself to drop his guard a little at the familiar faces that his eyes focused on.

"Te…mari. Kankuro…"

"Oh my god." The hoarse whisper rushed out of his sister's mouth as a breathless and relieved exhale and Temari strode forward, shoving medics out of her path unapologetically in order to reach her youngest brother's side. The blonde propped a knee on the mattress in her haste as she flung her arms around the boy and crushed him against her. "Gaara." Despite the uncomfortable ache of bruises that stung him mercilessly under Temari's force, Gaara didn't have the heart to deny his sister's obvious relief, not when she was a shaking, muttering mess that threatened to suffocate him.

"You're alive. Thank goodness. Thank goodness, you're alright." Temari's words were all in a rush to escape her mouth, wanting to be heard all at the same time. She wasn't sobbing or wailing, not even close to hiccupping, unlike how the other females were inclined to do in such circumstances but Gaara decided that this was worse, the way his sister shook uncontrollably, as if something or someone had finally broken the _strong as steel_ Temari.

"Temari..." Leaning against his eldest sibling and burrowing his face in her shoulder in order to calm her down and reassure her that yes, he was alive and yes, he was not going anywhere, Gaara drew a deep breath and relished in the warmth that Temari radiated, the tent he was situated into—much too bright and warm—a far cry from the cold darkness that he was previously drowning in.

By his other side, he could feel another presence making itself known to both of them, the newcomer carefully sitting down on the bed and wrapping its long arms around him and his sister. "We were so worried, jan." Kankuro murmured from behind them and Gaara distractedly took notice of the sudden absence of the medics; they had been polite—or perhaps intimidated by his siblings—enough to give the three of them some privacy.

"The medics said you were in a critical condition. We thought you'd never wake. We were going crazy."

His brother's voice was rough, dry and quieter than Gaara had remembered it to be but calmer compared to Temari's. Reluctantly shifting inside his sister's embrace, Gaara craned his neck in order to spare his brother a glance and as soon as his tired gaze blinked focus onto Kankuro's features, the redhead jerked away from his sister in order to reach out and urgently lay a hand on his brother's face. "What is this?" The young Kazekage demanded, sounding so forceful and upset even with his pathetic, broken voice. "Who did this to you?"

"Is it that bad?" Kankuro managed a sheepish grin under the redhead's worried glare. The wound was still fresh, an angry red cut that started from the end of the shinobi's eyebrow and extended down, stopping short of reaching Kankuro's jaw. "I got it during the last battle. Some asshole wielding a huge blade decided it was fun to swing it around."

Extracting his arms back in order to reach a hand up and trace the jagged cut on the right side of his face, the puppeteer waved a dismissive hand, "This is nothing to worry about, Gaara. It'll fade." Then he snorted, and added in a worried, scolding tone, "And seriously, _otouto_, you should be more worried for yourself. That Uchiha prick really did a number on you."

As Temari finally pulled away from Gaara, there were red tracks smudged on the sides of her eyes, the blotchy spots that stood out against the blonde's sickly complexion indicating dried up tears. Temari sniffed as subtly as she could, the back of her hand wiping the remaining wetness without any gentleness of any kind. Turning to face Gaara, any hints of ease disappeared and Temari adopted a worried expression once more. She reached out, her calloused fingers brushing crimson locks away in a surprising gentle manner as she voiced out in question, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." He responded automatically, choosing to ignore his sister's tight-lipped grimace when his voice broke into a short coughing session that left his throat raw. Never mind that his eyes watered at the sore sensation lingering in his throat and that his body was screaming for him to cease all movements; the air of confusion and cluelessness around him was too suffocating to disregard further.

"Temari, Kankuro", he began in a cautious tone, already dreading the answer he was bound to receive, "Where are we?"

"Medical camp." Kankuro said from his right as the older boy laid a comforting hand on his back. His brother seemed to know everything else that he wanted to ask, for the puppeteer added in a grave voice, "You've been out cold for three days now. Chakra exhaustion, torn muscles, several lacerations and severe blood loss resulting from the two deep wounds you sported—one on your side, the other on your back, short of puncturing a lung—according to the medics. It's a wonder you're even well enough to speak now, jan."

Another flash of an indistinct memory flew past his brain, but the boy waved it off, his attention caught by a more worrisome detail. "Three days?" Gaara echoed in a croak, eyes narrowing in a mixture of disbelief and sudden frustration. He sat up straight, tense and as stiff as a board as he continued, "What of the war? And _who_ is handling my platoon?"

As the dilemmas of his situation made themselves known one by one, the pain was soon forgotten and Gaara pulled himself out of bed just as his sister stood up and out of his way. "I need to get back to the battlefield." The change in altitude brought up a feeling of dizziness but even that wasn't enough to derail the redhead from his mission. He wobbled to the far corner of the tent, pushing past his siblings to grab his coat and vest.

"Gaara." From the way her eyebrows furrowed deeply and her breath hitched, it was obvious that Temari was upset. "You've only just woken up." She reminded him, clenching her hands in order to keep her emotions in check. "The others are doing fine by themselves. The other Kages are up and about, and Uzumaki and Killer Bee-san are there with the rest of the platoons too. Let them handle Madara and the masked man."

"I'd listen to Tem on this one, Gaara." Kankuro supported his sister's plea with a deep frown, his eyes trained on the dried blotches of blood in the bandages wrapped around his youngest brother. They were quickly put out of sight as Gaara shrugged on his maroon uniform and turned to face them. "Now, I ain't insulting your abilities when I say this, but you have to know that you're not exactly in a good condition to fight right now. Besides, we received a report that Kabuto was defeated by an unknown somebody. Doesn't really matter who it was; the Edo Tensei jutsu was stopped either way."

"That piece of good news isn't enough." Gaara told them in protest, glancing up in order to give them a leveled stare as he rummaged their shared belongings in search of a soldier pill. "You said it yourself, we're still against Uchiha Madara and his fake."

His hands bumped against a container and immediately, he plucked it out, opening the bottle and popping one of the dark green tablets into his mouth. He swallowed it dry and didn't have to wait long to feel a fresh wave of chakra entering his weakened system. Everything felt alive once more, his eyesight brighter, his movements faster and more alert. The pill unfortunately heightened his pain receptors too, for every wound felt much sorer but Gaara took it all in stride.

"My sand is essential in battle." He said and spared them a look. "And so are yours."

Kankuro deflated at the reminder, his shoulders slumping as he recognized defeat. Temari, however, wasn't as easy to give up. "Fine." She snapped in annoyance, narrowing her teal gaze at her brother. "I'll lead the Suna squad then. With my help and Kankuro's, I'm pretty sure we're all set. We won't need your assistance any longer."

"What are you so worried about?" Gaara asked her so suddenly when he finished fastening the strap of his gourd, in such a genuinely curious tone that it made the blonde halt her angry tirade. Both Temari and Kankuro stopped their movements, their worried gazes fixed on the young Kazekage.

"You'll be there to watch my back, won't you?" He asked them, raising an eyebrow in challenge. "I trust the two of you with my life. And I know you won't disappoint me." At his statement, Temari broke her gaze and scowled, hissing profanities under her breath as she marched towards her pack. "Give me five minutes." She growled at her brothers, her annoyance at losing the argument rising in full bloom. "Now you two get out of here, before I change my mind and hit you both with my damn fan."

Despite the weight of the circumstances, Kankuro couldn't help the bittersweet smile that took over his exhausted expression. "Alright, alright. Easy there." He told Temari, placing his hands up in mock surrender and beckoned for Gaara. "Come on, jan." He pushed one hand against the flap of the tent, exposing the camp to the redhead as the older boy ushered him out. It was almost sunset, the remains of yellow light barely visible from beneath the forest located in front of the camp.

As he was pushed out of the tent, Gaara took in their surroundings with a wary scan, his lips thinned as he followed with his eyes several critically wounded shinobi being brought into their own designated tents. At the sight, Gaara frowned faintly, confusion hitting him anew. "Kankuro." The redhead called out of the blue, interrupting the silence that spanned out between them. Beside him, his brother grunted in response. "Yeah, Gaara?"

The younger of the two hesitated for a moment, a wave of anxiety flowing through him as he began in an uncertain tone, "How…", Gaara swallowed thickly, glancing up at the puppeteer and waiting for the boy to meet his gaze before he continued, "How did the medics find me?"

From where he was fixing his brown jounin vest, Kankuro stiffened and his hands halted their work as his dark gaze turned to Gaara. An odd expression settled on Kankuro's face and it did nothing to ease the growing nervousness that the redhead felt welling up inside his chest. "You don't remember." His brother deadpanned in a worried tone, his eyebrows furrowing. The lack of face paint made Kankuro's emotions more readable than ever and Gaara felt his heart skip a beat as he saw panic flash through Kankuro's eyes.

"I remember fighting against Madara. With the Kages." Gaara supplied hastily and watched as the brunette somehow grew a little relieved. "But I don't understand how the medical team found me." He looked down, aquamarine eyes glowering at the ground as the cloud of confusion hanging around him proved to be thicker than ever. "I was…farther than the others. I was the last one left."

"You—", Kankuro broke off his statement when the redhead looked up fast, averting his gaze away from his brother's face and instead directing his shamed expression to the side. "When they found you…you weren't alone, Gaara."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Gaara grimaced, staring at the latter with disbelief. "That's not possible." He argued, making the move to cross his arms, only to change his mind and set them back down in discomfort. "I fell unconscious when Madara struck me. There wasn't—" Realization made him stop in midsentence and as he fell silent, with his eyes widening so suddenly, Kankuro glanced at him in concern.

"Gaara? Gaara, what's wrong?"

Kankuro's voice went unregistered as bits of memories came back to Gaara all at once, scenes of battle flashing before his very eyes and making him see a certain brunette kneeling on the ground, kneeling just beside his head as his vision blurred from the agony—the very same girl whose voice whispered in his ear, calling out his name desperately.

_Gaara, Gaara. Gaara. Gaara! GAARA, PLEASE!_

_**Flashback**_

_Darkness surrounded him and the scent of blood was everywhere; on his face, on his hands, the metallic taste stuck in his mouth, and the warmth of it present underneath his back, pooling all around him, dark, crimson and thick. There were explosions erupting somewhere not very far from where he was lying, facing skyward and choking on his own spit and blood._

"_G-Get…" There was that voice, the stubborn yet equally helpless voice, whose determination never seemed to waver, even though it was the very same voice that released those heart-shattering screams of agony every time the explosions sounded off. "Get a-away from him, YOU BASTARD!"_

_Gaara didn't understand who the person was, and didn't remember why she was there exactly; he was certain that they'd sent everyone away from here before engaging in a fight with __**the**__ Uchiha Madara. And it seemed that they were correct to assume that there was no one from the platoons that could handle the legendary figure. Even they, the Five Kages, hailed leaders and the greatest shinobi in their respective villages, weren't enough to stand against Madara._

_And yet, this person…no, this girl, was fearless, even when facing the man._

'_W-Who…is she?' The dazed redhead could only ask himself, unable to crane his head up or even move a muscle; the excruciating pain that earlier tormented him was no more, but it left him numb to the point of being immobile and utterly helpless with his eyes unable to do so much as to blink open. _

_Another series of explosions erupted, causing the ground to shake at the impact left. The last one was the most destructive, as far as Gaara could tell, since it was the loudest and the aftershock it brought was quite lengthy. There were no more that followed after that and the sudden silence was unnerving. There wasn't even a groan of protest or pained gasping that usually followed suit. From afar, the motionless redhead heard the distinct voice of Uchiha Madara drone out, deep and taunting._

_The sound of shuffling rocks, rolling away, crushed underneath staggering feet and without warning, clammy hands settled on his bloody neck and the very same voice belonging to the fearless girl breathed out against his face, the warmth of her exhale a comforting change against his cold skin, "Spare him…Please."_

_**End Flashback**_

"Gaara!"

Snapping out of his trance, the redhead found himself face to face with his worried brother, Kankuro's hands gripping both his shoulders with a frown. When aquamarine met moss green eyes, the puppeteer grimaced at his younger sibling. "Gaara", the older lad exhaled, letting go of his brother's shoulders reluctantly, "what—"

"Katana." The boy interrupted so suddenly that Kankuro was rendered speechless. Glassy sea foam-colored orbs flickered up, staring helplessly at Kankuro's wide eyes, and dread crashed through Gaara's system, his blood running cold as he inquired breathlessly, "Where's Katana?"

* * *

The sight of the feared Kazekage running through the dirt path with a hysterical kind of haste—aquamarine eyes wide with a secret fear, jaw tight and mouth murmuring incoherent words and his red hair wildly brushing with the wind—was a spectacle for anyone to behold.

Somewhere from within the camp, hot in pursuit with his trail were his siblings, both respected Suna jounins interrupting several patients from their slumbers and stirring up fright in the medics as Temari and Kankuro screamed at the top of their lungs for Gaara to _GET BACK HERE, GAARA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? _and that_ YOU'LL OPEN YOUR STITCHES, YOU IDIOT!_

All their efforts were proven to be all for vain as the redhead all but blatantly ignored their calls, the young lad blinded by a more pressing matter. With his heart pounding in protest against his ribcage and the sound of his blood rushing in his ears, Gaara ignored the painful burn of muscles and the sting of wounds as his stitches were pulled at.

Finally, his eyes darted up and he recognized the tent number carelessly given away by an unsuspecting medic he ambushed and threatened earlier. Without warning, Gaara burst inside the tent, sending the flaps flying away and his eyes hastily settled on the unmoving form on the bed. Briskly and with his heart roaring inside his chest, Gaara rushed inside, filled with the intent to reach the side of the bed.

"I wouldn't, if I were you."

Eyes widening, Gaara's breath hitched inside his throat at the sound of the familiar voice, just as confident as he knew it was and yet sounding oddly cold.

'_Katana.'_

With little hesitation, Gaara turned around, more than ready to embrace the girl behind him and berate her for the unnecessary worry she had unintentionally caused him. His relief was cut short, however, when instead of welcoming arms, he was met by the glinting tip of Katana's silver sword. "What…?" He trailed off in disbelief, staring incredulously at the weapon pointed dangerously at him, "Katana—"

"I'm not her."

His head shot up quickly as Gaara finally looked at the girl and true to her word, instead of the lively grey eyes that he was expecting to see, Gaara found himself staring back at lifeless ebony eyes that burned with cold anger. The relief he felt vanished and Gaara narrowed his eyes at the kunoichi standing before him, glancing down at the blade positioned at the base of his throat before glaring back up at the girl.

"You." He said, half parts disappointed and half parts outraged, his grief momentarily forgotten. "What are you doing here?" The tone of his voice continued the rest of his biting statement: _you're not supposed to be out._

A sick kind of amusement briefly crossed the copy's gaze before cold indifference settled back in her eyes once more. "Me?" She echoed innocently as she held the sword with a steady hand, looking accusingly at the boy. "What about you?" She asked mockingly, pressing the cool blade against the lad's skin and reveling on the sudden stiffness of his shoulders.

"You've got some guts, boy." The Katana look-alike sneered and Gaara realized with a harsh scowl of his own that he hated seeing that such expression of hatred on Katana's face—no matter that she wasn't really Katana. "Barging in like that, asking me what I'm doing here and acting as if you own the place…when you're the reason I'm stuck outside."

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked, narrowing his gaze on her and remaining undeterred by the iciness of her tone. The chill of the katana was seeping into his skin and he could feel the slight pressure against his flesh, but he had been through hell and back; a sharp blade against his jugular was child's play. "I'm afraid I don't understand." He stated, and it must've been the mixture of exhaustion and anxiety that pushed him over the edge, because before he could stop himself, he added in a harsher tone, "Because as far as I'm concerned, I try my best not to ever interact with the likes of _you_."

Complete silence took over and it seemed as if the temperature inside the room dropped to a negative value as the tent was filled with the copy's immensely cold rage. "Quite the ungrateful little freak, aren't you?" The copy remarked ominously in a whisper, breaking the silence and sounding just about ready to murder Gaara in cold blood. Her eyes glinted in the dim light of the room and Gaara tensed, reflexively intensifying his glare on her.

For a blood-curdling moment, the blade moved closer—close enough to puncture the skin on his pale neck and make him bleed rivers—and Gaara wasted no time in whipping his arms up and slamming the copy down on the floor with his sand, the brown particles heavily bearing down on the thrashing curse and creating a cocoon around her form.

"You fucking BASTARD—"

"Enough!" Gaara bit out angrily, grimacing at the creature that kept on fighting her way out of his sand. Out of reflex, he tightened the hold of the sand around her and scowled deeply at the string of foul words that escaped her growling mouth. "This is all your fault!" She all but roared at him, ignoring his demands and squirming inside the sand coffin. With increasing anger, Gaara glowered down viciously, his hand squeezing in a threatening manner. "Stop struggling, or I'll—"

"You'll what? Kill me?" The double automatically snapped back in retort and her tone made Gaara stop in his tracks. He'd had encounters of Katana's look-alike before, and while all of them mostly displayed the copy's obnoxious attitude and explosive temper, none of her previous lividness could compare to the raw emotion burning in her eyes as she hissed the threat at him.

"Do it, then, boy." The curse spat again, distracting the redhead from his thoughts. "Do it. Crush me. And end your little girlfriend's misery along with me!" The copy wasn't just angry; she was hysterical and outraged, mouth twisted into a snarl and her onyx eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

With a growing feeling of discomfort, the redhead took note of the redness around the latter's eyes and the drying moisture down her cheeks. She had been crying. The realization made him sick for unknown reasons and despite the ire he felt for the double, Gaara lowered his arm. "Enough." He said again, in the same hard tone he used earlier but all the coldness had vanished and been replaced with a heavy underlying exhaustion. "This is not helping anyone."

Besides, Gaara thought grudgingly, she was right. If he tried to hurt her in any way, he'd be hurting Katana as well. The brunette herself had shared him that piece of information years ago. Reluctantly, he allowed the sand to loosen its grip and slide away but not before shooting the curse a wary glare and pointedly taking a step back when she went near him to be able to get to the benches.

To his surprise, instead of glowering back, the latter avoided his eyes and directed fiery gaze to the unmoving form on the bed. Carelessly, Gaara followed her line of sight, unconsciously stepping forward in order to see clearer. As his eyes fell upon the patient, air left the redhead's lungs and it was as if the weight of the world fell upon his shoulders.

Despite wanting nothing more than to look away, to turn and close his eyes tightly in order to erase the sight he was seeing now, Gaara found himself unable to do so much as to even blink, and to his growing horror and nausea, the boy was stepping closer and closer, until he stopped by the bedside where the full impact of the fight against Madara Uchiha was displayed in detail.

The unconscious girl on the bed was nothing more than a broken mess, a body of wounded limbs and blood-soaked bandages, several of the said bandages wrapped around her ribs and chest. Around the brunette's neck, a dainty string dangled, holding by the very end the hourglass that he gave her as a parting gift.

Bruises—some light purple, a few colored fading green, others an ugly blue and many still painted in angry violet—marred Katana's skin and as aquamarine eyes traveled upwards, to the girl's face, Gaara took note of the chalk white pallor, her bandaged forehead and of her pale, bluing lips still tainted with a bit of dried blood.

By the opposite side of the bed, near the copy, the heart machine was situated, beeping in a monotonous and heart-breaking pace. Reaching out, the redhead allowed his fingers to hesitate before finally brushing against the length of Katana's forearm with a gentleness he hadn't known he possessed.

The silent young lad dropped his gourd by the bed post and settled himself down on the side of the bed, ignoring the protesting creak of the bed frame as he leaned down, his hand brushing away the splayed brown locks on the girl's forehead before he pressed his lips against the bandages there. He closed his eyes and took in the coldness of skin underneath his touch, realizing late the presence of continuous moisture sliding down his face and realizing even later the fact that they were tears.

It was as if his whole being wanted to explode from the anguish he felt. Pressing his eyes closer, an attempt to block out the pain squeezing his chest, Gaara knocked his forehead against Katana's, his hands sliding down to the side, twisting the bed sheets into tight fistfuls until his knuckles shook and turned white from pressure.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to scream until his throat bled, scream until the searing agony in his chest was reduced into empty hollowness. Flashes of memories whizzed before his eyes, scenes of spilled blood, of the sickening crack of bones as a body was brought down against the ground without mercy and the tormented cries of pain, the voice belonging to a person so familiar that it _hurt, hurt, hurt._

He could vividly remember the way her grey eyes smoldered with emotion—worry, dedication, an outright stubbornness that Gaara both loved and hated, and such love that made her irises turn into a brilliant silver—the way her hands grabbed at his collar roughly as she crashed their lips together, how she held onto him as if she never wanted to let go. Her parting words echoed in his ears, the brunette glaring fiercely into his eyes and angrily ordering him—_"Stay alive."_

_**Flashback**_

"_Stay safe." He told her in a whisper, unwilling to let go, yet stuck with the fact that this was the only way to keep her safe. The stiffness in her form as he held her was heartbreaking and Gaara knew that deep inside, Katana must hate him in some way, because what he was doing was simply not fair. But then again, none of the things in this world were fair either. _

_"The hourglass I gave you…hold onto it." It was the only thing he could say to reassure her and the redhead knew that even that wasn't enough. Even to his ears, it sounded as nothing more than a pathetic lie._

_As the tension in her body increased, Katana shoved away his hands from her arms and Gaara was caught in surprise as he was pulled forward by the collar, the brunette's hands tight and rough on the fabric of his clothes as she lowered his face down onto hers. _

_As soon as their lips crashed into a demanding kiss, Gaara's willpower all but crumbled down into dust and he sighed silently, giving in into Katana's desperate plea. He pressed his eyes shut and kissed her back, slowly, gently despite the girl's heated ministrations._

_She tasted like mint and blood, Gaara thought distractedly and felt himself melting against her as her hands came up to the back of his neck and her fingers buried themselves into the thickness of his hair. In response, he wound his arms around her torso, pulling her impossibly closer despite the fact that there was no space left between them. He wanted to disappear; to stay just like this and never let go. But his wishes were useless and little by little, Gaara felt the nagging need for air._

_They broke apart, Katana pulling away first with a breathless gasp that made Gaara's heart stutter. He reluctantly loosened his hold as she stepped away, watching dejectedly as she raised a threatening finger in front of his face. "Stay alive."_

_**End flashback**_

'_I should've listened to her.' _Clenching his fists tighter around the balls of white sheet under his grip, Gaara gritted his jaw, the silence leaving him to wallow in his sadness, frustrated beyond belief and outraged with himself. _'I should've been more careful! Then maybe she wouldn't have gone there to help me…Maybe she wouldn't have been in this situation right now…' _Slowly, he reached down to grasp a hand, limp, frail and lifeless inside his warm touch. It was all cold skin and unresponsive muscles. Gaara disregarded all of that and instead, intertwined their fingers, just like how they used to do so many times before.

He remembered how she uttered his name in a mantra, over and over and over, unrelenting and so, so stubborn despite the presence of her tears. _Gaara. Gaara. Gaara, Gaara. GAARA! _It made him wonder briefly just how devoted the brunette was to him, at what lengths she'd go for him. It made him wonder and question himself rather critically if he would ever do the same thing for her.

_'Katana…' _As desperately as he wanted to say her name out loud, to apologize, to cry and plead for her to open her eyes and _dammit, please wake up, please look at me pleasepleaseplease_, Gaara found himself too ashamed of himself to even try, _'Katana, I'm so sorry…'_

"She's in a coma."

He heard his sister's quiet voice by the entrance of the tent, but the redhead made no move away from the girl on the bed, not even when his brother joined them not a second later, panting and catching up with his breath. "Gaara", Kankuro gasped from behind, coming to a stop beside their sister, "W-We…we didn't want you to see this, jan." His brother's helpless statement made his chest ache and sting with an agony he didn't know was possible to experience. "You weren't ready."

From where he sat, hunched over an unconscious person, Gaara sucked in an impossibly deep breath, releasing it as a harsh exhale. "Temari. Kankuro." He said in a murmur, his voice on the verge of breaking down and crumbling apart, "I need a moment alone."

"But, Gaara—"

"Please."

His siblings fell silent at his stubborn insistence and with sad words of 'we'll be right outside', the two of them left their youngest brother alone in the presence of a comatose girl and her cold look-alike. Silence stretched itself between the three and in what felt like an agonizing eternity, Gaara did nothing but brush his lips and fingers against Katana's pale skin, breathing out incoherent words and thoughts put together senselessly as he brought their foreheads together.

_I love you. __I'm sorry. Wake up. I love you. Please forgive me. Don't leave me. I love you. Please. Please. Wake up, Katana. Please._

The thoughts were all a jumble in his mind and it seemed that everything just had to get out of his system, the sentences stumbling over the other. Every word that left his mouth stung him like a blade and every time he whispered _'wake up'_ only to have it fall on deaf ears left him with a heavy conscience and a heavier heart.

Finally, the boy opened his eyes and from beneath his wet eyelashes, he stared dejectedly at the closed eyelids of the girl he loved. Clearing his throat as an indication for the conversation that was bound to happen, Gaara sat a little straighter but didn't take his eyes off Katana. "My siblings…" he began, using his knuckles to stroke a cheek and sliding his fingers through chestnut locks to straighten them out, "They are aware of you."

"Yes." There was a slight pause, and then, "They were the ones who saw me bring you and the girl back here."

"What happened?"

From the corner of his eye, he distractedly noticed the copy shrug in indignation, the movement of her shoulders harsh and jerky. "It was Madara." She said with a snarl in between her words, her tone clipped and irritated but laced with an underlying hint of frustrated sadness. "He had the Rinnegan. Played with her after he was done with you, and tossed her around like a rag doll. You could only guess the end result." At the quick explanation, Gaara nodded curtly, rage flashing through his gaze at the mention of the legendary man's name. _'So he did this…'_

"Madara left after the brat convinced him to spare you your pathetic life. Of course, he _had_ to stab her in the back first." The look-alike snorted in disgust and she shook her head, her glare pinned on the floor below. "She tried to heal you—or revive you—and she did. The brat released every bit of her remaining chakra, unconsciously expelling me from her body as well. She fell unconscious after that."

Onyx eyes flickered up, staring pointedly at Gaara's face, the latter knowing that the redhead knew she was staring too, despite the fact that he made no move to acknowledge it. "The two of you would've died and I was left with no choice but to carry you back myself. I was the one who brought both of you back to the medical camp, after I got out of her body."

"And now you don't want to go back?"

There was no malice left in his tone—he was much too mentally and emotionally drained to even have the strength left to be accusing—but the copy misunderstood it anyway, growling low and retaliating in a biting voice, "Don't think this is my choice, boy!" She snapped, muscles tensing so suddenly. "If it were up to me, I'd go back in a heartbeat." The copy was too angry to even notice what she had confessed out loud. "The problem is that I can't."

For the first time since he laid eyes on Katana, Gaara finally spared the copy a glance. "Why not?" He asked, studying the girl's troubled expression. The girl's dark gaze met his and the copy pressed her lips in a thin line, her eyes darting towards her container before returning to stare back at the boy again.

"I don't know." The copy admitted finally, sighing in defeat and slumping down on her seat as she pinned her glare on the ground, for once looking vulnerable, "I tried. I tried going back and I. Fucking. Couldn't. It's as if her body's rejecting me. All those times that I went in and out of her body, she was always conscious. And now that she's in…" Gesturing blindly at the patient, the curse spat out in frustration, "_that_ state, I just couldn't."

"I see." He muttered with a slight nod, looking down at the unconscious girl and feeling his heart clench in grief. Bending down, he pressed his mouth against unresponsive, cold lips, ignoring the harsh squeeze of his heart as the girl failed to kiss him back, and breathed out a silent promise.

The redhead stood up in one fluid motion, grabbing his gourd in the process, and turned to face the person sitting on the bench, looking so much like Katana yet so unlike her at the same time that it hurt. "Thank you." He said curtly as he slid on the straps of his sand container, voice devoid of any distinct emotion. The copy glanced up at his statement and looked so surprised that Gaara added helpfully, "For saving me as well."

For a split second, the boy would swear seeing genuine gratitude flashing through the copy's eyes but it was gone so fast that Gaara wasn't sure if it was real or not, and he was left with a sardonic girl once more, who snorted out loud and smiled in a manner that wasn't so welcoming. "Don't take it so personally, boy." The tone of voice she used when speaking indicated some sort of omniscience, as if she had lived long before he was even born. "I didn't do it out of love or pity or whatever it is that you're expecting to hear. It was purely out of self-preservation."

Glancing at the patient on the bed, a thoughtful look crossed the copy's features. "This brat…Katana—", surprise flashed through Gaara's eyes when he heard the look-alike say Katana's name for the first time and if he had been any other person, he wouldn't have the ability to suppress it just in time as the copy looked up, "—was stubborn enough to give up her life in order to save yours. If I left you where you were—and I wanted to do that badly—and she woke up to hear that you had died, there's no doubt that she'd probably just kill herself again." The copy smirked, slow and amused. "She's such an idiot."

Watching the way the copy's hard gaze softened ever so slightly as she stared at Katana, Gaara felt some of the tension in his body ebb away and he gave the latter a last nod of acknowledgement, "I have business to attend to. Stay here and don't go anywhere."

"I wouldn't dream of leaving."

Reaching a hand out for one of the flaps, Gaara noticed just then the weapon that the copy had wielding, leaning against the bench. The sword was out of its sheath, the casing probably misplaced, and the redhead just then noticed the drying blood that caked the usually stainless blade. Whose, Gaara didn't know but the cold dread that crept up to him like a shadow told him otherwise. "Whose blood is this?" Gaara found himself murmuring in question, already half-afraid of the answer he would get. He wasn't disappointed.

"Katana's." The copy said in a deadly whisper, her expression darkening as she remembered. "Uchiha Madara struck her the final blow with her own sword." Breath hitching, Gaara nodded mutely and choked down on the bubbling nausea inside his throat. The hatred that ran through his veins, however, was a different thing entirely. That, he allowed to take complete reign over him.

The redhead craned his head back, giving the look-alike one last look, "I'll be back." With no further explanation, the Kazekage stepped out of the tent and into the cold surroundings of the medical camp. As soon as he was out in the open, night had completely taken over, the darkness around them lessened only by the torches of fire that stood on the sides of each tent. The young Kazekage found himself facing his platoon, shinobi and kunoichi alike standing outside of the tent the whole time, waiting for their general to show up. _'Temari and Kankuro must've gathered them while I was away…'_

When the first few soldiers saw him, everyone dissolved from chatters to hushed whispers, falling into sudden silence. Gaara allowed his gaze to travel, scanning each face and seeing the determination and loyalty of each and every one that stood before him. The redhead also didn't miss the several worried glances sent his way, the wounds and bruises on his face and the dried tear tracks on his pale cheeks no doubt catching the attention of many.

Try as he might, the young Kazekage couldn't find the words of encouragement his men needed to hear from him. How could he, when he himself was reduced to this broken shell of what he was once, his heart heavy with sorrow, spirit shattered and weaknesses bared out on the open for everyone to see?

From the side, his siblings must've had noticed the hesitance in his stance by now, along with exhaustion, agony, heartbreak and many other burdens that weighed him down, but if they had, then they offered no inquiries about it. Mustering up the courage he knew he had no more, Gaara sucked in a deep breath and hardened his gaze, willing himself to hide behind the mask perfected with years of practice. He will not—and _could not_ break. Not now. Not in front of the people looking at him for guidance. His hands balled into fists and then his voice rang out, cold and hard, unnervingly steely.

"Everyone, move out!"

At his command, a deafening chorus of 'Hai, Kazekage-sama!' rang out, echoing throughout the dead silence of the medical camp and bringing some sort of life to the glum surroundings. As they leapt out and ran, with Gaara leading in the very front, the redhead narrowed his eyes at the distance and clenched his fists by his sides, feeling the chill of the night creeping through his clothes, reminding him of how Katana's cold lips felt against his.

'_Uchiha Madara…I'll make you regret what you did.'_

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, this is...sad. It's sad, people. I have no other words to describe it. But in the first place, I _did _aim for a tragic chapter so I guess this is actually a job well done for me. I'm sorry to not have updated for so long. Q.Q You guys know me, I'm a lazy bummer. That, and the fact that I've got so many projects in school. -.-"

Anyway, I hope this is an okay chapter for you guys. Tell me what you think about it, yeah?

**_Enjoy and review!_**


	48. Chapter 46 Meaningless Victory

**Author's Note:** I'd say sorry, but I don't think it'll make a difference. You guys would still be after my blood.

But, ah, what the hell. I'm so sorry, everyone, for being 5 months late into updating. I know, I know. I'm a horrible person for making you all wait that long. Especially since the last chapter was so heavy with drama. (Not that this chapter is any better. *Cough*) On a happier side note, I finally graduated high school! :D Anyway, I won't keep you guys much longer. I hope this chapter makes your day. You know the drill.

_**Enjoy and review!**_

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 46: Meaningless Victory

When they arrived at the site of the battlefield, the war was at its bloodiest state yet, with mass numbers of kunai flying, explosions erupting out of nowhere, light flashing and giant summons the height of skyscrapers visible even from a great distance. Despite the remnants of grief clinging onto his mind, alarm rose from within Gaara's system at the sound of the tremendous rumbling of the earth, along with a chorus of shouts. Narrowing his eyes as he ran, the redhead swiped his arm out in front, summoning sand to mold into a solid platform and leaping up onto it expertly.

"I'm going overhead!" Gaara announced just as his two siblings ran up to his sides, the sand still flying low enough for them to be able to hear him over the explosions. Sharply, he turned to his left where Kankuro was running, his dark eyes pinned on him patiently. "Kankuro, take a team and scout the area. Temari", he craned his head to look at his sister, whose grim expression tightened visibly by every passing second, "I want you to lead the rest and wait for my signal."

With a curt nod and a gritted jaw, Temari allowed herself to fall behind, slowing her pace to return to the army and inform them of the plan. Gaara flickered his gaze back to the other side to watch the puppeteer bellowing orders of his own to his gathered soldiers, his group already meters ahead of the Kazekage. Swallowing the tight lump growing inside his throat, Gaara willed the sand to rise up to the skies, whizzing smoothly against the harsh gusts of wind. He plowed through, despite the biting cold cutting on exposed skin and the way it made his wounds—still fresh, still painful—sting and burn. Soon, the grand overview of the battlefield was presented to him as a reward for his endurance. Looking down and squinting to see through the smoke caused by the explosions, the redhead scanned the fight, thorough and swift at the same time, trying to gather as much intel as possible in the half a minute time span he gave himself.

There was Raikage, fast and huge, his whole, hulking form radiating lightning that made it impossible to miss him. There was Tsunade, all fists and outrage and brute force; the Mizukage spewing a flood of liquid lava, Tsuchikage-sama not far behind her; Inuzuka Kiba, his sister and their dogs, along with Hyuuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, the Yamanaka girl and the round form of Akimichi Chouji and the rest. The bright green of Rock Lee's suit blaringly stood out from the background of the dark, red blood and gore, and somewhere not far from where he was, his sensei's matching uniform could be seen as well. The genius Hyuuga Neji, however, was nowhere in sight and Gaara ignored the sinking feeling of hopelessness and prayed to any deity that the shinobi was, at the very least, somehow alive.

Fifteen seconds remained.

There were white creatures, standing at a height of at least 3 meters, some even as tall as 15 meters, ugly and vicious as they tore through the shinobi army. The soldiers fought on though, and it seemed as if they were holding their ground just fine. Aquamarine eyes flickered north and at the sight, Gaara blinked twice and grimaced, unsure of what it was that he just saw. _'Is that'_, he hesitated, and with good reason, too, _'the Third Hokage?' _The redhead had only seen him once in his lifetime, during the Chuunin Exams five years ago, but there was no way he could be wrong. It _was_ indeed the Third Hokage, Gaara realized after a split second of watching the figure slam his hands on the ground and summon a gigantic ape. _'Edo Tensei.'_ The redhead concluded safely, but grimaced at the new questions that popped up inside his mind: Wasn't the Edo Tensei canceled? Had the jutsu been restored again? If so, then who did it? Which side did the undead belong to now?

The last question was quickly answered as he saw the ape summon charge with a furious roar at the group of white creatures, sending them flying away at the swing of his arm. That piece of information was at least a little relieving compared to the rest.

Eight seconds left.

The yellow form of energy he was desperately searching for suddenly appeared into view as the wind blew and cleared up the rest of the fog, and there were two of them. _'A clone?'_ Gaara asked himself but dismissed the thought as he remember Naruto telling him previously that, no, he couldn't create a clone in that form; it was too dangerous. Before the redhead could again rack his mind for a logical explanation for it, his interest shifted at the tiny form of blue covered in lightning, swift and deadly as it traveled in zigzags and sent enemies tumbling down onto the ground, dead. The lightning energy vanished and was replaced by a humanoid creature that Gaara was certainly not fond of, a shield of cold, black flames, of chakra-based ribs and spine. _'Susanoo…'_

Four seconds was left before it had fully dawned onto him, the realization bitter and not very relieving, and it left him stunned to the point of numbness. _'That's…Uchiha Sasuke.' _The young leader mused in deep thought, distractedly forming the necessary hand seals for a Kage Bunshin no jutsu. _'The avenger is back.' _The sand clone was sent flying back down to where Temari and the back-up were waiting for the signal, Gaara himself taking on a different course of action. He flew down, diving swiftly like a predator charging for its target. He gathered his breath into a deep inhale, narrowed eyes tight with concentration. _'Now.' _

As soon as he was near enough the battlefield, the lad raised his arms to his side and felt the telltale rush of energy surging out from within his very core, chakra burning like fuel as an enormous wave of sand roared to life, untamable and a force to be reckoned with as it rolled hastily, wiping away the white creatures in a blink of an eye and turning the tide of the battle to their side for good.

"Kazekage-sama's sand tsunami!"

"Kazekage-sama is back!"

"Back-up from the Fifth Company!" He heard the soldiers on the ground scream out in obvious relief, the renewed hope crashing into them in full force. From a distance, his ears registered Temari's ferocious battle cry and felt the aftershocks of her violent gusts of wind. Despite the toll of exhaustion weighing down on him, Gaara felt his determination turn almost fiery hot, the flashes of memories—the girl lying on the dirt, bleeding out, broken and choking; the girl on the bed, unresponsive, cold to touch, bruised black and blue—whizzing through his mind and causing his outrage to return a hundred fold.

Narrowing his eyes as he forced the thought out, he whipped his arm around, catching a hold of several monsters all at once before proceeding to close his fist harshly. Limbs went flying and white monster blood rained on the young Kazekage, but Gaara took it all in stride, unblinking. There was a distinct growl behind him and the sound of claws slicing through sand, the noise getting nearer and nearer, until the redhead whipped around with an icy glare that had even the monster hesitate slightly in its tracks.

His foot connected with the torso of the white thing unapologetically and sent it flying away to collapse against its fellow creatures. With a flick of his wrist, the sand scattered on his command and exploded in front of the enemies, effectively pushing them at least a meter back. As soon as the dust particles settled down, however, they were onto him once again, unwilling to give him even just a short reprieve, drawn to Gaara like moths to a bright flame. Instead of the usual calmness he prided himself on, Gaara felt his temper flare up dangerously, provoking the dormant urge that resided deep inside of him to take over once again; to destroy, to break, to make something bleed.

He fought brutally, merciless and unfeeling as he tore through the enemy lines with his blizzard of sand; gripping, breaking, snapping, crushing…squeezing the life out of bodies. It scared him, the way he was, the way he felt; it was as if the old Gaara had returned, except without the unquenchable bloodlust and this time, with a rage too hard to explain. There was no blood present, the crushed bodies of his enemies turning into a disgusting white mess and scattered chakra, but Gaara kept remembering blood anyway. He remembered the putrid stench hitting his senses, so unlike the tantalizing scent he was addicted to back when he still housed the Ichibi. It made his eyes water, the thick, crimson color overwhelming his sight and the way it slid down tauntingly, out of the brunette's gasping mouth down to her chin and falling with a faint 'splat' against his cheek—

'_Enough'_, Gaara let out an animalistic snarl as he clenched his fist into a ball and heard a series of sickening crunches, the dying wail of the creature inside his sand coffin still not enough to prevent him from recalling the sound of Katana's bones cracking as she was brought down to the cold, hard ground again and again. _'Stop it.' _He recalled the way she gasped out his name, broken screams repeating a single word as the girl desperately expelled her chakra, her hands bloody and warm against his chest. _Gaara, Gaara, GAARA, PLEASE—_

A roar that resounded a little too loud broke Gaara from his reverie and the redhead pulled his arm back before a monster could tear it away from his body using those strong jaws, but the movement was too fast, too harsh, and the result was an electrifying pain that shot from his wrist up to his spine. With a sharp breath of barely contained agony, Gaara sent sand to shove the creature away before thick grainy ropes surrounded it, covering it layer by layer until it was buried deep into the ground. He huffed, letting out a breathless wheeze of effort, grudgingly wishing he could bury his inner turmoil the way he buried the monster alive. His thoughts were an endless torture, causing his heart to stutter, his concentration to waver, and the images behind his eyes were more painful than the burning pull of torn muscles in his limbs. The worst thing was, he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"GAARA! Over here!"

The call broke through his haze after what seemed like an eternity of him crushing body after body of enemies, and the redhead swooped down to the source of the noise, smoothly landing down in a crouch beside Naruto himself. "I'm here." He said, trying to mask the breathless wheeze of agony that came after it. There was a disturbing presence of something thick and damp seeping through his clothes and his hands were trembling from the effort earlier but he dutifully ignored it, chalking up the dampness to sweat and the trembling to the rage that still bubbled in his veins. "What's the situation?" He glanced at the other boy, narrowing his eyes at the shock he saw being reflected on Naruto's gaze. _'It must be the bloodlust in my eyes', _Gaara thought numbly, still disgusted and still ashamed of the things he felt but no longer surprised, _'or the hatred.'_ In his defense, the redhead was trying his hardest to contain his own urge to gawk in disbelief.

While his friend had always been bright and attention-catching, Gaara certainly didn't think Naruto would actually become like this. The blonde hero was glowing—literally. He was surrounded by a haze of golden fire and every single cell of his form radiated energy. It was difficult to maintain an indifferent expression when one laid eyes on him, even for Gaara. "Naruto." He prompted in an impatient tone when the other didn't respond immediately. Jerking away as if pulled out from a trance, Naruto shook his head and hesitated before looking gravely at the Kazekage once more.

"It's kind of complicated." Naruto admitted in frustration, scratching his glowing, yellow head and clicking his tongue against his teeth as he balled his fists. "But so far, we've managed to keep the small, white monsters under control and the First Hokage is keeping Madara busy. Our only problem right now is—"

"The First Hokage?" Gaara echoed incredulously, staring at the blonde hero as if he'd grown a second head. Blinking twice in confusion, Naruto glanced back at him, his usually bright, blue eyes turned into a fiery ruby. "You don't know?" The jinchuuriki asked, and then explained shortly, "They were brought back using Edo Tensei, all the past Hokage. All of them — Wait, watch out!"

Dodging out of the way just as a fireball flew past and crashed against the mountain side from afar, Gaara gritted his jaw and casted his gaze out in the open, noticing just then the humongous creature that stood its ground at the very front. As it let out a bone-chilling shriek, the Kazekage created a sand platform again and hopped on, grabbing the blonde along with him. "They said the Edo Tensei was canceled. What happened?" Gaara demanded heatedly as they flew towards the menacing disfigured thing as Naruto had instructed him.

"Orochimaru was the one who did the Edo Tensei—Don't worry though", the blonde added hastily when the Kazekage rounded on him with a look of alarm, "he's on our side. I don't understand why, but he is. And so is Sasuke!" He said with an incredulous grin slipping into his expression and ignored the way Gaara grimaced deeply. "Can you believe tha— Aah! Fireball!" Naruto's coherent statement was reduced once more into alarmed yells that rang inside the shell of Gaara's ear painfully. "Left! Swerve left! LEFT!"

Gritting his teeth as he made their ride dive a sharp left, the fireball whizzed past and missed them by an inch or so, leaving both lads breathless and with their hearts racing. "Gaara", his blonde friend, the supposedly fearless hero, croaked out weakly from beside him, "as much fun as this was, let's not do it again." Though he gave no response to that, Gaara struggled with righting his breath and completely agreed internally. The pain in his body was back, the burn on both his side and his back returning with a vengeance. The redhead sucked a deep breath and let it out shakily, vision swimming as he concentrated on keeping the two of them both airborne.

'_I must've opened my stitches earlier'_, he thought with a frustrated clench of his jaw, '_dammit, not now. Not now.'_

The young Kazekage was vaguely aware of the ridiculous amount of chakra that left his system, but he couldn't bring himself to put a stop to it, much less figure out how to restrain it. He felt weak and wobbly, as if his bones were made of liquid lead and the bullets of cold sweat that began to drip from his forehead were absolutely not helping. _'Focus'_, he told himself sternly, ignoring the wet sensation growing on his back. _'Blood.' _His brain supplied and the redhead shuddered at the thought, but he brushed it off just as quickly, swallowing hard and bracing himself as they closed in on the Juubi.

The beast was a horrific sight, all claws and teeth and violently swaying tails, looking as freakish and unnatural as a monster could be. When it roared, the sound shook the whole plain and rocks erupted up from the ground, cracks and fissures appearing out of nowhere. Looking down, Gaara noticed with increasing alarm that the white creatures that wreaked havoc on the battlefield were the same ones that the Juubi produced from its own flesh and energy, popping them out of its system like larvae. Despite the searing agony on his back, Gaara raised his arms and stifled a pained groan, the noise of the sand bursting forth from his gourd roaring in his ears. With shaking limbs, he formed the particles into tight spheres and waved his hands down, sending a barrage of comet-like sand to rain down on the crowd of charging monsters. He sent wave after wave of sand tsunami after the sand hail, buying enough time for the shinobi army to regroup themselves back into organization.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama!"

He heard the soldiers call out from a distance, their voices blurry and scrambled together into incoherent noises inside his pounding head. With a broken inhale, Gaara struggled on, getting closer and closer to the wretched Ten Tails. Behind him, Naruto let out a noise of approval, clapping a hand down on Gaara's back and it was all the redhead can do not to stagger onto his knees in pain. He could register the blonde's voice, loud and heavy as Naruto spoke, but the words were no more than a garbled mess that his aching head could not wish to decipher.

"...don't know how, but we've gotta do it. Gaara, we've gotta—Hey, are you listening? Gaara! Hey, I— Gaara. Gaara, oh shit, Gaara, you're _bleeding_!"

The redhead was jolted out of his daze as soon as a hand pressed against a blood-soaked spot and a sharp searing pain radiated throughout his body. Releasing a choked groan, Gaara almost fell out of the sand platform, if not for Naruto catching his torso immediately. The sand did a gut-wrenching turn as it spun out of control for about a split second before the redhead used what remained of his fleeting concentration to right it once more. "Naruto—"

"Why are you bleeding?!" Came Naruto's immediate demand as he turned Gaara to face him, the shinobi's ruby red eyes wide in a mixture of worry and alarm. "You weren't bleeding earlier. What happened? Did you—"

"I think I", Gaara interrupted with a choked groan of pain when the blonde pressed too hard on the wound, "o-opened my stitches while fighting. Stop that." He added in a hiss, pressing his eyes close and feeling the rush of relief when Naruto finally retracted his hand away from the wound and placed it on the redhead's shoulder instead. "Okay." Naruto nodded in understanding, looking more alarmed by the second as warm, red liquid continued to soak through Gaara's vest, the two large bloodstains by his back and his side spreading and joining to create a single wide wet spot. "I've got you, Gaara. I've got you, I've got you." He reassured the latter in an incoherent stream of babble, panic evident in his gaze. "Go down, I'll be taking you to the medical team."

"No." Gaara said through gritted teeth, trying his best to maintain his control on the sand. "Plan." He gripped at Naruto's arm, digging his blunt nails into the flesh beneath his hand to block out the insistent throb of pain coming from his back wound. Gaara shook his head, stubbornly swallowing down the painful lump growing inside his throat. "What's your plan?" He asked, already in the process of pulling himself upright despite the nausea threatening to overwhelm him.

"My pla—What? Are you crazy?" Naruto stared at him, slack-jawed. "You're bleeding and you're asking me what my plan of attack is—"

Naruto's statement was interrupted by a streak of blue that suddenly swooped down and landed with a faint 'thump' on the sand platform. Despite his predicament, the redhead whipped his head up and swung his arm, swiftly catching the intruder inside the thick ropes of his sand. "Easy." He registered the cool voice before his gaze could fully focus on the face of the newcomer that joined them on his sand platform. With a grimace, Gaara reluctantly lowered his hands, dropping the sand that held the stranger. "Uchiha." He grunted in acknowledgment, voice devoid of any other emotion except uncertainty. From where he held Gaara, Naruto gave the dark-haired boy a relieved grin. "Teme! You finally made it!"

"Tch, of course I did." Sasuke snapped back at the blonde as he stood stiffly and clutched a bleeding arm. One of his temples spurted out blood from a head wound but the Uchiha paid it no attention and instead focused on the redhead, nodding back and returning the curt greeting. "Kazekage. You're bleeding." At the badly timed statement, Gaara narrowed his eyes in barely concealed irritation, the latter's dry sarcasm not at all helping his pain. "I'm aware." He bit out waspishly, pushing himself away from Naruto's supporting hands and ignoring the worried protest that came with it. Grimacing at the Uchiha, Gaara gave him a half-hearted once-over, his expression laced with blatant distrust. "What are you doing here?"

The ex-rogue raised an eyebrow at the straightforward question, but aside from that, Sasuke gave no other reaction to the suspicion in Gaara's tone. "I'm here to help." The avenger stated simply, his expression as guarded and unreadable as always, failing to reassure Gaara in any way. But time was essential and they were running out of it quickly, placing the redhead in a position he wasn't comfortable with yet had no choice except to work with it. Pressing his mouth into a thin line, Gaara jerked his head once in a curt nod. "Very well." The Kage kept a firm hand pressed against his sore side and outstretched his free arm, willing the platform to go as fast as it can get. "We're getting close." He told both shinobi, looking back to send a quick glare when Sasuke gave a faint snort at the sound of his pained exhale. Beside the sharingan wielder, Naruto released a strained sound and elbowed the other boy, only aiming to make him stop provoking the temperamental redhead but accidentally hitting his injured arm and therefore causing Sasuke to hiss at the sting of his wounds and glower in turn at Naruto.

Gaara resisted the urge to drop both of them out of his sand when the first few noises of a heated argument made its way to his ringing ears. "Stop fighting." He reprimanded instead, forcing himself to take a deep, calming breath and ignore the blood that kept seeping through his clothes from out of the wound. When they didn't seem to have heard him from over their loudening voices, Gaara added in his most threatening tone, "Or I'll have no choice but to allow the three of us to plunge to our deaths at this height. Flying's hard enough when I'm bleeding from my back. I don't need both of you to add to my list of distractions, too." That promptly shut them up. It seemed that when the three most powerful shinobi combined to work as a single unit, they came out as laughably pathetic. "Naruto. Your plan?"

"Oh! Right." Quickly ending the childish squabble between him and Sasuke, Naruto came up to Gaara's side, pointing a finger to where the Juubi's thrashing head was located in the distance. "See that? We need to go directly above the Ten tails. The fake Madara is the one controlling the beast, so I'll handle him. I need you to drop me off on his back. Meanwhile, you and Sasuke" He stopped, giving both his friends a pointed look that clearly told them to play nice, "and Shikamaru and whoever he tagged along will pull out the other bijuus from the Ten tails." At the mention of the chakra beasts, a grimace pulled at the Kazekage's features unconsciously, deep enough to catch Naruto's attention.

"Gaara." The voice interrupted the redhead's thoughts without warning, causing Gaara to sharply turn and see scarlet eyes looking at him with concern. "You gonna be okay?" Naruto asked, the understanding look in his eyes enough to make Gaara realize that the blonde wasn't just asking him about his bleeding wounds. "Yes." He exhaled in answer and nodded gratefully at his friend, not catching the wary glance that Sasuke sent his way. Swallowing the tight lump in his throat, the young Kage turned his attention back down to the monster below. "You're sure?" Naruto prompted again in a whisper, nudging him gently to grab his attention. "You don't have to do this. I'm sure Shikamaru brought enough people to—"

"I'm fine, Naruto." Gaara turned, fixing his aquamarine gaze on the blonde's scarlet eyes. He held the latter's hesitant look until Naruto had no choice but to drop his head in defeat and sigh. "Alright, alright. If you say so." Shaking his head, Naruto glanced at Gaara helplessly. "Man, if Katana-chan discovers that I let you fight in that condition, she's gonna _skin _me alive." The blonde even shuddered, though if it was to add effect to his statement or a real shudder, Gaara didn't know. The brunette's name unknowingly made the redhead's breath hitch and he swallowed again, the dryness of his throat pestering him as it seemed to close up. Dreadfully glancing at the blonde by his side, Gaara felt guilt consume him at the cluelessness that he found in the latter's eyes.

"Speaking of Katana-chan", Naruto continued, oblivious to the inner turmoil of the redhead, "I haven't seen her since Madara last attacked and Tsunade-baa-chan ordered a retreat. Where is she anyway?"

"Medical camp." The redhead answered tersely, hoping his friend would notice his discomfort and drop the subject. But instead of accepting the answer without question, the blonde rounded on him worriedly, his eyebrows drawing tight. "Med camp?" Naruto repeated in disbelief, unconsciously earning the attention of the Uchiha that stood less than a meter away, "Is she okay?"

"She's—" Breaking off his sentence as courage abandoned him altogether, Gaara balled his hands and ignored the shame that washed over him, making his guts churn sickeningly. "She's fine." He said, drowning out the little voice inside his head that accused him of being a coward. The redhead forced himself to relax, shoulders squaring back despite the disgusting squelch of blood as his clothes rubbed against the injury. The stoic mask settled easily onto his face, all emotion draining away from his aquamarine eyes.

"Brace yourselves." He warned them and swooped down, the sand platform diving and somersaulting dangerously as they flew over the Juubi's head in order to avoid the lightning fast whips of the beast's tails. Turning his head to the side, Gaara glanced at Naruto and silently jerked his head down. "Thanks, Gaara. Now get yourselves into position and wait for my signal!" The blonde sent him a reckless grin and leapt off the sand platform without hesitation, his enthusiastic yell of "Take this, _sucker_!" as he pounced on the fake Madara leaving Gaara suppressing a good-natured snort and Sasuke scoffing under his breath.

Inhaling heavily, Gaara raised them up to the horizon once more and concentrated, channeling his chakra down onto the sand and fighting the strong urge to vomit at the same time. It took a few seconds longer than he would've liked, but finally the floating platform gave in and broke in half, separating him from the Uchiha. Gaara released a ragged sigh as he stopped the flow of energy, leaving his arms heavy and his throat dry. Distractedly, he turned to the side and spared his earlier companion a glance, only to pause once he registered the dark-haired boy's unusual stiffness and the cautious glare directed at him. "You don't need to worry." He told the latter in his best reassuring tone despite his obvious reluctance and gave the boy an unimpressed look when Sasuke flinched at his voice. "I'm not going to drop you, Uchiha."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted testily, his tone going well with prominent scowl fixed on his face but even then, the doubt didn't leave his eyes. He looked around and scanned the ground below, all the while keeping a firm hand braced against the particles keeping him airborne. "Where's Nara? I thought the dobe said they'd be here."

"I don't know." Gaara replied with a frown, following Sasuke's lead and searching the battlefield beneath them for any sign of the Konoha genius. "They must have encountered a problem." No sooner than when the words left his mouth, there was a shout coming from below them, calling out the redhead's name. "Kazekage-sama!" The Kazekage looked down to see his second-in-command staring up at him, the Nara's complexion unusually sickly pale and yet his grim expression was surprisingly determined, unlike the lazy look he always donned. "Care to give us a ride up?" The shinobi gestured to the soldiers he had waiting behind him, consisting of several familiar faces of what Gaara believed were the Konoha Eleven. Studying the small group, Gaara noticed with a small rush of relief that even the previously missing Hyuuga Neji was present, looking worse for wear but still stubbornly standing on his own two feet.

Silently assessing his chakra level, Gaara gave a subtle nod and wordlessly commanded the sand beneath their feet to break away from the ground, cold sweat pouring out from his face as he concentrated on raising the group into the air. Normally, carrying a small number of people on his sand wouldn't even make him blink but the circumstances were different, more ill-fated, if the blood escaping him was anything to go by. "Did Naruto relay his plan to you?" He asked Shikamaru, grateful when the genius nodded in a confident manner, his brown eyes flashing as the plans and tactics he had prepared beforehand were reconsidered inside his mind.

"Yes." Shikamaru voiced out reassuringly and told Gaara every intel he had gathered and without any regards to formality and rank of any kind, instructed the Kazekage on what to do. "Look down." He said and the redhead did, his gaze widening as he took in the endless rows of shinobi gathering around the Ten Tails, the circle they formed just wide enough that no one was in peril of getting crushed under the beast's lashing tails. "We've spread the word and everyone's up to speed with the plan. They're all going to help in this, but according to Naruto, we need to have people who'll serve as a tunnel in order for the bijuu chakra to flow through the line properly. We need several separate platforms, all placed strategically to hover around the Juubi. We'll need to group ourselves into duos, in order to do this as efficient as possible. Remember, the tailed beasts are not to be underestimated. They're primal creatures and they've brought down even some of the strongest shinobi in history. They'll use your thoughts against you and they'll feed on your fear. Don't let them consume you." Sending a quick glance at his audience to see if what he said registered into their minds, Shikamaru rattled off names, pairing them together. "Tenten, you're with Neji. Lee with Hinata, Shino with Kiba, and Ino with Chouji. Sakura", he spared the pink-haired medic a quick look, "you'll be partnered with Sasuke. I'll be with Gaara-sama. We'll wait and pull out the bijuus' chakra at Naruto's signal and then pass it down onto the awaiting army below us." Surprise reflected off Sakura's face at Shikamaru's decision but she nodded nonetheless, until Sasuke opened his mouth to speak.

"I don't want Sakura as my partner." He said, earning incredulous looks from each shinobi and a hurt glare from the pink-haired medic. "Sakura should be paired off with the Kazekage instead of me."

"And why shouldn't I be paired with you?" Sakura demanded, her mouth forming a troubled frown and her green eyes glowering at the Uchiha prodigy. "Do you still think I'm not good enough? I've improved in more ways that you think." She spat angrily, ignoring the uncomfortable tension brewing around them. "We once belonged in the same team. You know my fighting style and technique better than anyone here and I know yours in the same way. You can easily back me up if any unplanned trouble ensues. It's the logical decision, if you think about it—"

"—If you think about it in a technical sense, yes. But right now, we're in a situation wherein usual battle tactics cannot be applied." Sasuke interrupted, matching her tight expression with a no-nonsense look of his own. "I don't think you're not good enough." He confessed easily and just like that, the anger melted away from the kunoichi's face. "On the contrary, I've seen how much you've grown. I'll be an idiot to underestimate you. But Sabaku's chakra is readily decreasing and I don't need to be a genius to know that the blood seeping through his clothes means bad news to all of us. He needs medical attention and you're our best shot at patching him up right now." Sasuke looked around sharply, daring anyone else to question him. Finally, he fixed his dark eyes on Shikamaru, who frowned in contemplation before closing his eyes and sighing.

"As much as I hate to say it", the genius muttered glumly, grimacing as he just then noticed the dark blood stains on Gaara's uniform, "Sasuke has a point. Sakura, stick to Gaara-sama instead. Uchiha, you're with me. Now let's stop wasting time. Everyone get to their positions." As soon as the command was said, all of them jumped off with their respective partners and onto the platforms that Gaara had formed for them. Inhaling sharply once he felt the presence of another person joining him on his own ride, Gaara did his best to force down the reflexive urge to flinch away when Sakura laid a hand on his back.

"Sorry." He heard the girl say offhandedly, her voice sounding a tad melancholy as healing chakra began to pool out of her palms and seep into his skin. Sakura sucked in a sharp, stuttering breath that made the redhead in front fist his hands tightly, feeling a heavy weight settle upon his shoulders at the mental image of the girl behind him tearing up. Despite the discomfort that crept up on him, Gaara felt the cool, physical relief sweep over him as his wounds closed up properly and finally stopped bleeding. His chakra level rose up, the stiffness of his limbs vanished, along with his migraine, and with a clearer head to use for thinking, the Kage blinked the blurriness of his eyes away and held the platforms firmer, feeling the sand solidify better under his renewed control.

Shifting to turn his attention toward the pink-haired kunoichi, Gaara's heart sunk at the bitter frown marring the girl's face and the sudden sympathy sprang at him out of nowhere. She was Katana's friend, after all, and with guilt and shame, Gaara knew that even Sakura didn't have a clue on where the brunette was or how she was faring. They didn't know that she was in a coma, that she was bruised and broken and barely alive and it was _all his fault_. "I'm sorry." Gaara apologized before his mind could even process what his mouth had blurted out. The unexpected apology in the midst of the tense silence stunned Sakura into speechlessness and steeling himself, Gaara took advantage of this and continued, "If you want, I can ask Shikamaru again to switch. Besides, I need his input on how to go on with this. Thank you for healing me."

"No, it's no trouble at all." Sakura said as soon as she found her voice again, her eyebrows furrowing in a mixture of confusion and surprise. "It's fine." She dismissed again, waving a hand in front of her and avoiding Gaara's gaze. "I don't mind being paired with you, Kazekage-sama, if that's what you think. I just—"

"He wasn't lying."

"What?"

"He wasn't lying", Gaara repeated, "when he said that he didn't think you weren't good enough." Casting his gaze out to look at the Uchiha who was situated far away, Gaara glanced at the girl again and felt a pang of sympathy when he saw that she had her own eyes pinned on the dark-haired shinobi. "I've seen his eyes; with the way he looked at you, Uchiha is either a really good actor or he meant what he said. And I don't think he's good enough an actor. At least, he's not better than Kankuro is." Clearing his throat in hesitation when Sakura turned to him with a grateful smile—he had always been terrible at comforting people; it made him fidget and forget his words and feel uncertain—Gaara forced himself to meet her jade green eyes. "So don't worry. He's not…he wasn't lying."

"Yeah, I got that." Sakura smiled tiredly, the dark shadow under her eyes somehow fading away as happiness trickled into her expression, no matter how small it was. "I just", Sakura sighed and shook her head sadly, the melancholy in her gaze returning, "I just wish he had other ways to express himself rather than this frustrating combination of avoidance, denial and passive-aggressive behavior."

"I'm sorry." Gaara offered again, for the lack of anything better to say. It seemed that he was no better off compared to the Uchiha when it came to dealing with emotional situations and women. Sakura snorted, her smile bitter and sharp for a minute, before it smoothly melted into sad gratitude. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama—"

"Gaara." He interrupted quietly, "Call me Gaara."

"—Gaara it is, then." Sakura continued without missing a beat, "Thank you, Gaara."

Nodding once and sucking in a relieved breath as the emotional tension finally came to an end, Gaara's gaze focused on the Juubi and noticed Naruto's figure coming to a stop from below them. With narrowed eyes and a quickly-forming grimace, Gaara moved their ride away, trying to get a better look. A troubled sound from beside him interrupted his concentration and he glanced at the girl. "What's happening down there?" Sakura asked worriedly, eyebrows knitted down to a disturbed furrow. She turned to him, eyes full of confusion and expectant of an answer. Gaara opened his mouth to respond, his own worry gnawing at him, but as soon as he caught a flicker of movement from below, his gaze snapped down and he gritted his jaw. "Shikamaru!" He shouted, voice loud enough to earn the Nara's attention even with the wind howling around them like a strangled hound. "The signal!"

"I saw it!" The latter yelled back and raised an arm, wordlessly ordering the rest to get ready. All of them waited with bated breaths, bodies tense with buzzing apprehension. Below them, something exploded deafeningly and Naruto's hysterically victorious scream reached them, just as tendrils of blue, tangible chakra appeared from in front of them. Shikamaru's arm jerked down sharply and as the bellowed order of 'NOW' escaped his mouth and traveled with the stinging whiplashes of the wind, everyone reached out and made a firm grab for the chakra, most of them letting out pained gasps as the white hot agony and overwhelming energy flowed through their veins. Just as Shikamaru had said, the chakra flowed downward like a waterfall and the rest of the army grabbed on and pulled, bathing the entire shinobi battalion with bright blue light.

As soon as his hands came in contact with the thick rope of bijuu chakra, Gaara's throat closed up against his will and his whole being froze. _'T-This chakra.' _The energy signature still felt the same way he remembered it to be, the agony searing and cold and numbing, stabbing him from inside out like knives and needles. The fear inside him was back, paranoia and hysterical anger following closely. He'd known that this was a possibility. It was the logical way of things, after all, since the beast was most compatible with his body compared to anyone else's. But even with the thought stuck in mind, Gaara couldn't help the anxiety that clung tightly on his system, the idea of being possessed once again and being forced to do things against his will revolting and horrific. Aquamarine eyes closed rebelliously as Gaara absorbed the sensations that washed over him in waves, his eyes watering up from behind closed eyelids as nausea threatened to overcome the young Kazekage. _"…Shukaku."_ He acknowledged quietly inside his head, shuddering when the familiar rumbling echoed inside the depths of his mind.

_**"****Gaara…?" **_Even the sand beast's dark, rough voice sounded the same, save for the additional weariness in Shukaku's tone. _**"Is that you, brat?"**_ Surprised at the lack of obsessive control that the One Tail was displaying, Gaara delved in deeper into his mind and opened his metaphorical eyes, inhaling sharply as he was faced with Shukaku's enormous jaws and narrowed, black eyes. _"It's me." _Gaara confirmed curtly, uncertain of what to make of the worn-out monster that used to be his worst nightmare.

_**"****I thought I felt a familiar stubborn jackass's chakra." **_Shukaku snorted sardonically, but even his insulting jab lacked its usual bite. _**"So you survived the extraction after all. I'm impressed, brat."**_

"_I was revived, actually. By Chiyo-baa-sama." _Gaara corrected, grimacing deeply at Shukaku's lack of interest and strange docility. The beast was almost never still, constantly vicious and twisted, always looking for a way to take over Gaara's body. His morbid and sly behavior was the very same thing that kept Gaara alert and cautious in all the years that went by. Seeing him act like this, exhausted and hollow and suddenly so ancient, disturbed the redhead more than it should. The fear that he once associated with the demon was no more and even when he tried his hardest, Gaara couldn't seem to muster up the grudging anger that he knew Shukaku deserved for all that the monster had done to ruin his life. But to his deepest wonder and confusion, the only thing left was the feeling of familiarity, Shukaku's immense presence settling within him without any discomfort and the gruff voice in his head sounded as if it never went away.

_**"****Why are you here, Gaara?" **_Shukaku finally dropped his façade and rumbled a drawn out breath that remained frightening in its own right despite the Ichibi's visible exhaustion. _**"We both know you want nothing more to do with me."**_

"_No, I don't." _Gaara agreed readily, not wanting for even a split second for the beast to think that he wanted a demon back into his body, despite the feeling of confusion that welled inside him. _"But I'm not about to let you fall under Madara's grasp, either. I'm getting you out of here."_

_**"****Why? So somebody else could keep me locked up inside their body for another eternity?" **_The sand demon bared its rows of teeth at him, suddenly outraged, but Gaara remained unfazed from where he stood his ground in front of the Ichibi. _**"You insult me too much, Sabaku no Gaara. You think I'll fall for your wily ways again? Never, I tell you. Never again—"**_

"_That's not what I want and you know it." _Gaara snapped back, narrowing his eyes on the beast and clenching his fists by his side. _"I never once wanted to use your power. I never once wanted to take advantage of you. All those people who were killed by my hands, they were all you. The only mistake I ever did was to believe in your lies." _Drawing to his full height and squaring back his shoulders, Gaara glowered at Shukaku, determined, _"But even then, I didn't think of you as just another source of power. You've always been somebody in your own right." _Meeting Shukaku's disbelieving stare with his unwavering gaze, Gaara approached the Ichibi in slow strides, the fear and doubt in his system long gone.

"_Maybe it was a mistake to control you. Maybe it was a mistake to try and manipulate you into a weapon of mass destruction. But if there's one thing I know at this moment, it's that saving you from Madara would never be a mistake on my part." _The redhead reached out fearlessly, staring right into Shukaku's eyes as his hand settled on the sand demon's muzzle. _"I'm not dooming you into helpless oblivion under Madara. I'm pulling you out, Shukaku, and I refuse to leave you behind until I do." _Stunned silence from the beast's part met his declaration but after a minute, the One-Tailed beast closed his eyes and scoffed deeply, the sound echoing all over the redhead's head.

_**"****You talk too much, brat." **_Shukaku snarled weakly but Gaara could feel him giving in, his chakra binding more firmly onto the redhead's. _**"Must be the influence of that blonde chatterbox you called your 'friend'. Che, I liked you better when you didn't speak at all."**_

"_Hn. I never liked you at all."_

The sound of Shukaku's raucous laughter made his head ache terribly but it felt relieving to hear the savageness creep back into the Ichibi's voice as his resolve to pull away from the Juubi hardened. Aquamarine eyes snapped open just as Shukaku firmly grabbed hold of him and Gaara pulled the chakra tendril, jaw clenching and the muscles in his arms straining in effort. Down below, everyone was channeling equal efforts, pulling with all their might and gritting their teeth together as they fought against the painful strain. Manipulating his sand so that the grainy particles were wrapped around each chakra rope, Gaara inhaled a deep breath and braced himself for the inevitable agony, pulling out everything all at once.

Overwhelming pain shot through him like a bolt of lightning, as if his whole being was being torn apart, and distractedly, Gaara thought he heard himself emit a choked scream in the midst of the tailed beasts bellowing and shinobi shouting all at once. There was too much agony and at the same time, nothing at all to grasp at.

He was falling, succumbing helplessly into the pain and couldn't do anything else but hold onto his and Shukaku's shared consciousness, the monster's stern bellows of 'Don't give up on me now, brat!' the only thing that reassured him that he was still alive. He dropped his hold after what seemed like an eternity of suffering and gathered just enough of his consciousness to be able to see the Juubi die down and compress into nothingness without anything but a last, dying wail. Every single one of the freed beasts went in willingly into Naruto's body and Gaara struggled to keep his control on the sand, at least long enough to make each platform, including his, descend safely back down on the ground.

His feet staggered ungracefully when he landed on the dirt but Gaara paid it no notice, dragging himself deep into the crowd that had gathered in the center, where the Juubi was previously situated. He slid past the shinobi, letting out murmured apologies and pained grunts as he weakly shoved people away in order to reach the very middle. As he pushed the remaining bystander and arrived, Gaara took in as much of the scene as he could with his half-lidded and bloodshot eyes. The four Kage were present, occupied with bellowing orders and sorting out the army, Naruto and Sasuke standing guard as they spoke in hushed whispers. Even the revived Hokage were there, gathered into a defensive half-crescent formation around two battered forms that were both bound tightly within a coil of wood.

The one that sat in the left was somebody Gaara didn't recognize, a man with pale skin and a deep scarring on the right side of his face. Black sealing ink covered his body along with the wood that bound him and he had both the Second and the Fourth Hokage watching over him. He was compliant, at the very least, making no threatening movements, and a deep regret and melancholy dancing in his dull gaze. _'The fake Madara'_, Gaara thought slowly and turned his attention to the other one, something cold and cruel boiling at the pit of his stomach as his aquamarine eyes focused on the armored man. Seeing the man alive—in a sense, at least—was enough to bring it all back: the anger, the pain, the mental image of Katana hooked to machines and barely breathing. All too sudden, the exhaustion he felt seemed to vanish, a burst of adrenaline coursing through his veins alongside the heady desire for violence and bloodlust.

"Uchiha Madara."

The undead man's head snapped up at the call of his name and his lifeless onyx eyes squinted at Gaara's form, before it traveled up to look into furious sea foam. "Young Kazekage." Madara said, disbelief coloring his tone as he stared at Gaara and slowly broke into a wide, hysterical grin. "I don't believe it." Their conversation earned the attention of everyone around them and all other voices died down, the tension in the air thickening into something almost tangible. Despite the gazes he knew were currently pinned on his form, Gaara only had eyes for the bastard that sat on the ground and was baring his teeth smugly at him, the rage in his system feeling a little too strong to contain.

"Kazekage-sama." The redhead flinched at the sound of the Raikage's voice and broke out of his daze, guilt and shame washing over him and pushing back the bloodthirsty thoughts that previously dominated his mind. He looked up and around, noticing just then that the others were staring at him in various degrees of worry and concern.

'_They don't know. They don't know what happened to her.'_

The voice in his head was back, taunting and painful and breaking him a little more each time.

'_They don't know what he did. They don't know __**he**__ broke her. But it's all my fault. What good am I if I couldn't even protect the one I love?'_

"Gaara." The redhead turned, meeting Naruto's now cerulean eyes, his heart squeezing as he saw the confusion and deep worry dancing in his friend's gaze. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." He lied, ignoring the burst of fury that flashed through him at the sound of Madara's low chuckles. Glancing back down at the self-satisfied man, Gaara balled his hands into tight fists and swallowed heavily, "I'll seal him." He volunteered, grateful at the fact that no one seemed to question or protest at this. "It's the least I can do for arriving late." He added and gathered sand under his feet, rising up to the skies. Disregarding any sensation of pain or exhaustion, the redhead grimly willed the sand to form around Madara, watching numbly as shinobi cleared a space for the humongous pyramid that his sealing jutsu would no doubt form. The structure formed slowly, due to his lack of chakra, but surely, and Gaara didn't have to wait long before both of them were in the skies and the cold wind was stinging their faces, him standing atop of his sand and Uchiha Madara's head peeking out of the pyramid.

"Well, well", The ancient Uchiha chuckled coldly, his voice loud enough that Gaara could hear him over the howling of the wind yet quiet enough that only the redhead understood what he was saying, "it seems like I underestimated you terribly. You're tougher than you look. But", Madara smiled, relishing the dangerous flash of Gaara's eyes with every word he uttered, "it would also seem that I was right about the girl. She didn't last very long, did she?"

"_Shut up_."

"Did I step on a nerve?" The undead shinobi sneered, his manic expression growing more and more hysterical by the second. "You are _weak_, Kazekage! Letting your emotions get the best of you, relying on such feeble beliefs like love…Did you think your love will last? _Love is fleeting!_ You are foolish to believe anything otherwise." Madara's obsidian eyes flashed with frenzied anger, despite the sharp grin plastered on his decaying face. "You might think you bested me, but I know the truth. You—"

"You lost." Gaara bit out, glaring at him and raising an arm. "There's no other truth." The sand around Madara shifted, consuming him little by little. Despite this, the Uchiha still struggled, turning his head away from the sand as if it would do him any good. He released a last bark of hollow laughter, fixing his crazed eyes on Gaara. "_Yes, Kazekage_." He hissed lowly as the sand swirled and covered his eyes, leaving his mouth the only thing visible. "_I _might've lost the war, but what did _you_ lose—" Sand covered Madara completely before he could finish his statement and with a ragged breath, the sand platform Gaara rode went down, the exhaustion and chakra depletion getting the best of him.

The sand dissipated earlier than he would've expected, the sudden leap that he was forced to do causing his unstable legs to buckle underneath him. He would've collapsed entirely, if not for Naruto catching him by the waist just in time. Staggering a little, Gaara wheezed, looking up tiredly at the blonde, who in turn stared at him in awe. "We…won." Naruto said in a stutter, his mouth slowly spreading into a smile and his blue eyes watering. The blonde shinobi chuckled hoarsely, paying no attention to the tears that fell from his eyes as he whipped his head around and grinned at people. "We won!" His declaration was all it took for everyone to burst into cheering and victorious cries, weapons dropping on the ground and people clutching at each other in overwhelming relief.

"WE WON!"

"IT'S OVER!"

"W-We can go back home!"

It was all over; the war had ended. As Gaara leaned against his friend dependently, he looked around, letting himself absorb as much as he could. Relief was most evident in every shinobi's face, followed by exhaustion and then perhaps, happiness. There were a few whose smiles were a little too wide to be genuine but despite the underlying hurt and pain and fear, there was no denying the fact that it was a day worth celebrating. Despite all the cheering that surrounded him, Gaara found himself eyeing the ground in bitter contemplation, wondering why nothing could seem to make the hollow void in his chest to go away.

* * *

"K-Kazekage-sama!"

"Kazekage-sama, you can't—"

"Gaara-sama, please listen to us!"

Gaara ignored the insistent calls of the medics that trailed behind him, too determined to give up but simply too scared to actually stop him. The ones who were gutsy enough to put their hands on him, however, were firmly pushed away to a safe distance by his sand.

The battle was over, but there was still so much left to do. As soon as the hysteria calmed down into something controllable, the Kage went to work, ordering the army to organize themselves. Tsunade had taken over the medical part of the work, immediately ordering a mass retreat for medics and wounded shinobi to go back to camp. The Tsuchikage had dealt with the organization of those that remained, the Mizukage with clean-up and scouting and the Raikage had handled the fake Madara and the unexpected guests that showed up during the last moments of battle. Orochimaru had been one of the first to disappear from the scene, despite his surprising decision to fight alongside the army instead of against it. He released the Edo Tensei on the previous Hokage before leaving and no one had seen a trace of him since.

They'd all agreed to have the Kazekage in-charge of the diplomatic meetings with the daimyos, for the sole reason that he was too injured to be doing anything else. Gaara's stitches had popped open once more, not long after he had successfully sealed Uchiha Madara. He'd been sent back to camp against his will and to his unfortunate luck, they wouldn't even allow him to leave his tent, even after his wounds had been stitched back together and dressed.

"Kazekage-sama—"

"I'm fine."

"Kazekage—"

"Stop following me."

"B-But Kazekage-sama—!"

The voices stopped the minute he transported himself away from them and Gaara fell onto his knees at once, his lungs contracting painfully at the feeling of whatever little chakra he had left escaping him. Shrugging away the dizziness and standing up forcefully, the redhead stumbled on, his breath tight and ragged as he murmured her tent number under his breath and ignored the worried glances sent his way. He knew how he must've looked, bandaged and bruised with blood crusting on his hairline, but Gaara didn't care any longer. Bloodshot aquamarine looked around once the redhead found himself entering a familiar turn, his eyes fixing themselves on tent 312 and without further hesitation, Gaara stepped inside. It was the darkness that his mind first registered; the silence was next. Making his way toward where the oil lamp was situated, the lad turned it on, scanning his surroundings once the brightness took over.

The curse was nowhere to be found. Furrowing his nonexistent eyebrows, Gaara strode further into the room, looking around with a grimace on his face. Finally, his eyes settled on a salve jar that wasn't present before and with caution, he approached the bedside table, warily picking up the piece of paper that was haphazardly scribbled on and stuck under the jar filled with dark, viscous liquid.

_Gaara,_ he read the written note, worry clouding over his heart, _I don't know what happened but the brat's condition turned for the worse and I c-c-ccouldn't stay in this solid form any l-l-longer. _The redhead took in the shaky handwriting with apprehension, his frown deepening as he continued and the penmanship worsened even more, as if the writer didn't even have the strength left to lift a pen. _D-Don't 'tl-letthisjarbreakunderanycircumsta—_The words dissolved into undecipherable zigzags, splotches of ink dirtying the white paper. Gritting his teeth at the bad news, Gaara looked at the jar sharply, just then realizing that the dark liquid was concentrated chakra. He glanced to the side, his gaze softening without his knowledge as he stared at the unconscious girl.

She still remained as unusually pale as when he first saw her, the dark bruises on her arms and face standing out like stains on white silk. Tiredly, Gaara sat on the bench with an inaudible sigh, his eyes already closing halfway from exhaustion but he stubbornly kept on watching her lax form on the bed, the tiny spark of impossible hope that she'll wake up any moment still indignantly burning inside of him, even though it hurt so bad. How had it all ended up like this? The question had him sighing again, deeper this time and more worn-out, weariness finally catching up with him. Taking a shallow inhale, Gaara propped his elbows onto his knees and hunched his back, his fingers weaving together as his forehead dropped onto his stiff knuckles.

_**"****Yes, Kazekage."**_

Madara's taunting voice rose up from the depths of his memories, sounding deafeningly loud in such a silent room.

_**"****I might've lost the war, but what did you lose—?"**_

Closing his eyes and reluctantly welcoming the darkness, Gaara's unspoken answer echoed over and over in his head, unable to be voiced out loud even as he fell into unconsciousness.

_'Everything.'_

**End Chapter**


	49. Chapter 47 Fading Heartbeat

**Author's Note: **Guuuuuyyyyyssss. I finally updated again. :D Sorry it took so long. I know it's my vacation but I've been seriously uninspired for quite a while and writing always seemed to give me a headache. Gaara's POV is a pain in the ass. But! Here it is, at last. I hope you enjoy it and I know that after you read this chapter, you're going to be out for my blood. ;)

As usual, _**enjoy and review!**_**_  
_**

* * *

Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 47: Fading Heartbeat

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

'_Two weeks.'_

The skies were unusually dark, thick clouds gathering silently up above, looking like dark, angry swirls of grey smoke. There was a flash of something bright, and then the roar of thunder was heard, reminding people of the heavy barrage of explosions. Just as the echoes faded away little by little, the thundering downpour and harsh splatters of raindrops took over the silence before it can even begin to make its presence known. And then there was nothing but endless noise in the background, restless and continuous, with the sinister howls of the wind and the occasional clap of merciless thunder.

_Beep._

The heart machine's constant sound was the only thing that could be heard inside the dead silence of the tent, each _beep _echoing like a gunshot and feeling like a sharp blade as seemed to sink into his chest and made his heart bleed even more. It hurt; so, so bad that it sometimes rendered him unable to breathe and other times, made him unable to feel anything. The irony of it all was as bitter as it was sweet though, because despite the pain that came with it, the boy needed to hear the noise. It was his only source of relief, because each _beep_ was his only reassurance of the girl's fading life and the only remaining source of his sanity. Anything else was simply white noise, insignificant and unwanted and fleeting, just like the pattern of his shallow breath or perhaps the muffled explosions that sounded like radio static from outside.

_Beep._

'_It's been two weeks.'_

Despite the chaotic noise outside, the silence of the boy sitting by the corner remained palpable to anyone present in the room. His form was stiff, unmoving, the lower half of his face pressed against his interlocked fingers and his gaze fixed on the patient on the bed, unblinking, unfocused, clouded with pain. The exhaustion that his body exuded was almost physically tangible and too hard to bear looking at, with his eyes dull and bloodshot, his cheeks hollow and shoulders hunched over deeply as if it carried the weight of the world. He never spoke once he'd arrived and sat down, not a single sound escaping him as long as he was inside her room, unless he was being spoken to.

_Beep._

'_They said she's going to be fine.'_

It became a routine, what he was doing. A deadly habit that slowly killed him, and a torturous and painful sight to anyone else's point of view. He'd go about on his mornings, doing his job as Kazekage without rest or break, mechanically signing paperwork and approving decisions. He'd join in on meetings, always arriving on time, always physically present but always mentally detached from the rest of the crowd. He'd open his mouth only when necessary, his voice always stoic, and his words always precise and cut short and ringing hollowly inside everyone's ears.

'_They said she's going to wake up any moment now.'_

_Beep._

He'd brush off every inquiry, every concerned protest and basically ignored the worried stares that bore holes on his back and followed him until he disappeared once more inside the confines of her tent. He'd sit down on his corner, assume the same stance—back bowed, shoulders hunched, elbows digging on his knees and mouth pressed against intertwined fingers—and stare for as long as his abused eyes could take.

'_She's going to wake up.'_

_Beep._

He'd fall asleep—no, he'd fall into unconsciousness, once the exhaustion has taken its toll on his body and then he'd wake up, wide-eyed with horror and mouth open with silent screams, breathless and pale from the nightmares that danced behind his eyes. And then he'd go on with his day, repeating the vicious cycle over and over again.

'_She's going to be fine.'_

_Beep._

Several had tried to help. Several had tried to tug him away, tried to break his unhealthy sequence of waking up, exhausting himself beyond comprehension and then passing out. But each and every attempt was met by a pair of too-dull eyes that seemed to reflect a broken soul and a hoarse, pathetic reassurance of 'I'm fine'. Eventually, they stopped trying, and instead went out of their way to bring him food or remind him of a meeting or coax him to sleep on a proper bed. They all resigned to watching worriedly from a distance, never seeing the changes, never realizing what they all should be most worried about.

'_She's going to be fine, isn't she?'_

_Beep._

No one ever seemed to see that each time Gaara visited, each time he sat down and stared, that he was becoming more and more invisible to the world. No one noticed that each time his footsteps were heavier than before, that his presence was barely acknowledged by anyone anymore. He was no longer the immovable Kazekage, no longer the fearsome redheaded shinobi that everyone knew by reputation, no longer the dangerous man whose life was one of the highest priced in the Bingo Book. He was no longer himself.

'…_Isn't she?'_

Hope was a heavy burden, and for the past two weeks, it had been the only thing that kept the redhead grounded. But carrying hope was like dragging along a rusted anchor that weighed you down and each time he clung to it for the sake of his remaining sanity, the rust entered his wounds and infected them, until every drag of that anchor stung and bit at his heart, until every time he hoped felt like he was being poisoned. In the end, it all came down to two choices: to continue dragging that anchor with him and suffer pain every time or to let hope fade away completely and finally feel lighter than ever, because the minute somebody allows hope to fly away is the minute they become an empty shell.

Despite the pain, the sting and the slow, tortuous burn of desperation and misery that seemed to well up like an infection deep inside him, Gaara chose the rusted anchor without hesitation, gripping it as tightly as he could.

_Beep._

* * *

It was cold inside the room. Silent, except for the occasional brush of paper against paper and the scratch of a pen as ink poured out onto the parchment. The handwriting was flawless, all clean lines and precise curves on the white piece of document and as the grandfather clock struck for the last time, hitting 10 o'clock, the young man behind the desk stopped writing and dropped his pen.

Gaara looked up and out of the window. It was raining.

**_Flashback_**

_There was a blinding flash that appeared from outside, followed by a deep rumble that bounced off the pastel blue walls. Aquamarine eyes looked glanced up sharply, a confused frown appearing on the boy's expression just as a heavy downpour began and raindrops splattered soundly against the previously clear windows. "It's…raining." The redhead uttered under his breath, bewildered and stunned at the same time as he stared at the rivulet-like paths that the falling raindrops formed on the glass surface. _

"_Oh, yeah. That happens sometimes."_

_Momentarily forgetting about the paperwork that laid on the table in front of him, he turned to look at the sprawled out girl on the couch by the side, confused at her nonchalance. "It does?" Gaara asked curiously, pursing his lips and looking out once more. "But it's—I don't understand. It's not supposed to rain."_

"_Mm?" There was a sound of pages scratching against each other, and then grey eyes flickered up, meeting Gaara's puzzled gaze. "Why not?"_

"_Because it's summer in Konoha right now…isn't it?"_

_Blinking twice at the blunt statement, Katana dropped the book in her hands and pushed herself up to her elbows to stare out the window, calmly taking in the sight of the heavy rain. Turning to Gaara, she sent him a quick smile, chuckling a little as she explained, "It's just a bit of a summer drizzle, Gaara. It's…weird, I guess, in a way." Her smile softened into something more intimate as she met his eyes and Katana added, "But it certainly is beautiful, isn't it?"_

**_End Flashback_**

There was a crackle of lightning from behind the drenched window and immediately, the memory faded into nothingness and once more, Gaara found himself staring into empty air. "Just a bit of a drizzle…" The redhead muttered under his breath, aquamarine eyes lowering as he tried to recall the girl's features, her smile and the sound of her laughter—clear and genuine, _beautiful_—and the way her grey eyes crinkled at the corners.

How long had it been, since he last saw her smile? Since he last heard her say his name?

'Four months.' His mind answered, much to his burden, and added unhelpfully, 'and a week and three days and exactly ten hours and five minutes.' Despairingly, Gaara shut his eyes close and concentrated, trying to remember everything, trying to see every detail, every smile and frown, trying to hear once more every word that Katana said to him.

_"Gaara." _He missed the way she spoke his name, each time accompanied by a different tone.

_"Gaara, come on. We'll miss our reservation." _ He missed the suppressed amusement, the gentle reminders whenever he forgot to sleep or eat and the hard, stubborn edge whenever she was angry. He missed the way she looked at him, softly and with tenderness he doubted he deserved, as if he was the most important person she had in her life.

"_Kazekage-sama." _ He missed the way she teased him, with a sharp grin and bright eyes as she subtly pushed his buttons and found new ways to make him tic. _"Suck it up and work, Kazekage-sama." _

He missed her presence, strong and warm and _constant_, a rock he could rely on to always support him. _"I'll be right here by your side…"_

"Kazekage-sama."

The voice broke through the tranquility inside his mind and with a startled blink of his tired, sunken eyes, Gaara raised his head, meeting the look of concern sent his way. The image of the brunette inside his head vanished like smoke, her voice turning into nothing but ringing echoes in his ears.

"…Tsubaki-san." He acknowledged after a defeated moment as he finally focused on the person standing by the doorway. The girl was a kunoichi of the Mist, no older than he was, if not younger by a few months or so. She had taken an interest on helping him during the first weeks of sorting everything out after the war and soon, the Mizukage herself delegated her into being his personal assistant of sorts, since all Gaara's men had been assigned to other duties. "Is something the matter?"

"No—nothing like that, Kazekage-sama." Tsubaki quickly reassured, waving a hand in dismissal. "I was just dropping by to see how you were doing. It's past ten already. I thought you'd be gone, since you always retire at nine." She looked at him in question once more, the concerned furrow of her eyebrows unrelenting. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Everything is fine." Clearing his throat, Gaara turned to glance at the grandfather clock that stood with its back against the wall, the minute finger ticking away into oblivion. "I was finishing the last of the paperwork and decided another hour wouldn't hurt. I'm about to go now, however." The girl nodded as he stood and seemed to patiently wait for something as he cleared away his desk and gather his Kage coat in one arm. "What is it?" He asked, stopping in the middle of the room and staring expectantly when she looked up.

"Oh." Tsubaki fumbled with her hands behind her back. Flustered, she met Gaara's awaiting gaze, cheeks flushing with color as she handed out a box to him. It was a simple square parcel, wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with a clean string. "Here", she said hoarsely, blinking in rapid succession, "it's just a little something. I honestly didn't know what to get you, since—" She stopped her rambling and took a deep breath, settling instead for a small smile. "Well, here it is anyway. Happy Birthday, Kazekage-sama."

Staring at the wrapped box and letting the meaning of the words wash over him, Gaara swallowed tightly, just then realizing the date. "My…birthday." He repeated, not quite wrapping his mind around the idea yet. Tentatively, he reached out for the box, testing its solid weight once it was in his grip. It wasn't overly heavy but the package inside was compact and hard.

"Open it." The girl urged and seeing the eagerness in the latter's face, Gaara did as he was told, tearing the wrapping paper away as clean as possible and opening the box that lay underneath. Inside were five different ninjutsu scrolls, shiny and brand new-looking. "Thank you." The redhead said with a grateful nod as he closed the box once more and laid it down on his desk, looking up to add in question, "How did you know it was my birthday?"

The Mist nin shrugged one shoulder, looking pleased at the fact that Gaara appreciated the present. "I overheard." She said nonchalantly, giving him another smile before turning on her heel and waving a hand goodbye as she walked out the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kazekage-sama." Aquamarine eyes watched the girl's retreating back with a mixture of confusion and gratitude, his gaze softening as he stared at the way her braided hair—chestnut brown, but still a shade too light to resemble the long locks he loved running his fingers through—swayed with her steps. Casting his gaze away, guilt rose into his system almost instantly and the redhead bit back a self-deprecating sigh.

'Must be the exhaustion.' He thought weakly, preferring to believe the excuse over anything else. Swallowing back another heavy breath, Gaara ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to comb them into submission as he walked out of his makeshift office.

The cold breeze was what welcomed him first as he stepped a foot outside and with a lungful of crisp air, tension seeped out of the redhead's system little by little. The night was quiet, the ground still damp from the rain earlier, and somehow, Gaara found it easier to walk in the silence. 'She always had a preference for taking a stroll outside during cold nights.' The lot near the office was almost empty as he strode on, with the exception of the occasional jounin in charge of making rounds bowing down to him in greeting.

It had been four months.

Four months since the war had ended and yet there was still so much to do, so many rough disagreements to work out between each party, so many condolence letters to write and sign and give out to the families of those who died in battle, before any of them could go back to their villages and dismiss the whole ordeal as just another unfortunate, albeit historical, event. 'Four months since Katana was last conscious.' Went Gaara's train of thought, despite his displeasure at being reminded. His footsteps fell much too heavily, echoing unusually loud against the dirt but he was simply too tired to even care.

The daimyos were difficult to please, Gaara realized soon enough. They were paranoid and constantly displeased by everything, fussing over the smallest of details. Dealing with them always felt like bargaining with scared, unreasonable children. As the Kage who perhaps took most of the brunt of injuries, the other four leaders had unanimously decided to delegate him to the handling diplomatic side of the post-war concerns. It was cleaner and there was a significantly less amount of blood compared to the other divisions like the medical and the clean-ups but it was no less chaotic. The elders of Suna weren't much help to his situation either, dropping not-so subtle hints about his alliances with the other village and pestering him to take the Wind daimyo's offer of his daughter's hand in marriage. He'd learned to ignore them since the beginning but truthfully speaking, the redhead wondered how much more he could tolerate before he would inevitably snap.

"Hey, Gaara!"

Halting in his steps, the redhead craned his head, blinking at the blonde that jogged towards him. "Naruto", he greeted back, instantly bracing himself as the other boy carelessly swung an arm around his shoulders, the weight threatening to topple the two of them over if not for Gaara's sturdy legs planted on the ground. "What brings you here?" There was a wide grin plastered on his face, mirth spreading throughout his face and lighting up his cerulean eyes. Naruto shrugged jerkily, chuckling when Gaara frowned at his confusing answer. "I dunno", Naruto finally said, looking at Gaara with a knowing smile, "you tell me why I'm here."

"I…" Blinking tiredly, Gaara settled for frowning deeper, "I don't understand."

"No, of course you don't." Naruto breathed out in defeat as his face fell, the grin slipping off his face. Taking a deep breath and letting it out as a huff, the blonde crossed his arms and frowned determinedly at Gaara. "Come on." He said, reaching to grab one of the redhead's arms and ignoring the grunt of protest that escaped Gaara. "Trust you to forget your own special day." Naruto muttered under his breath, shaking his head disapprovingly as he dragged Gaara from behind him, setting long strides of his feet that the latter stumbled to match.

"Naruto", Gaara bit out, his faint eyebrows furrowing in a mixture bewilderment and annoyance, "where are you taking me?" He tried to pull his arm back several times but the exhaustion clinging to him made his limbs feel heavier than usual and the attempts were rendered useless as Naruto tightened his hold on him.

"Relax, will you?" Naruto told him as he craned back to glance at Gaara, rolling his eyes at the redhead's tight grimace. "It's not like I'm kidnapping you or anything. Believe me", Naruto added with a teasing snort, tugging on Gaara's arm just to irritate the Kazekage further, "if I wanted to kidnap you, you'd know."

"As if I'd let you take me without a fight." Gaara scoffed, his irritation fading away bit by bit as Naruto flashed him a bright smile once more.

Closing his eyes as he was dragged against his will, Gaara let loose a sigh of defeat, reluctantly catching up until he was finally walking by the blonde's side instead of being hauled along. "You can let go of me now." He informed his friend, subtly shaking his head at the victorious fist pump that Naruto did. "At least tell me where you're taking me." Gaara said, glaring sideways when Naruto stubbornly averted his eyes from him.

"Nope." The blonde hero said, popping the 'p' of the word, "It's a surprise."

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the surprise location, Gaara tensed and dug his feet deep into the ground, staring warily at the entrance of the building and scowling at Naruto when he looked back. "Gaara, _come on._" Naruto all but whined, groaning in frustration and clawing at his hair at the redhead's disbelieving snort. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"I don't think so." Gaara argued readily and made a face at the noises that echoed from the club. Even from the outside, Gaara's sharp sense of smell could catch the reek of cheap booze and sweat, no doubt coming from the people dancing along to the booming music. "I'm not going inside." He told the blonde, throwing another sharp glare to push his point across.

The hour was far too late for anyone to be up and about, much less to spend it at a makeshift club. Weariness was all but oozing out of his system and along with his desperate need for sleep—he hadn't slept well for the past four months, one week and three days, not that anyone else aside from him knew—Gaara's patience was quickly wearing thin. Clenching his jaw tight, he crossed his arms, maintaining the glower he had as the blonde struggled with coming up with reasons.

"But Gaara—!"

"No."

"Gaara, it's your birthday!"

"It doesn't matter." The redhead dismissed without hesitation, grimacing as he said in afterthought, "Lower your voice down. It would be terribly inconvenient if someone else would know about it." Naruto blew out a sigh as he raked his fingers through his yellow locks. Chewing on his lip, the boy furrowed his eyebrows and finally admitted, "There's a surprise party waiting for you inside. Everyone's there."

"What?" Gaara demanded, taken aback for a split second. He watched as Naruto gave a sheepish grin in return, placing his hands in front of Gaara in a placating manner. "What do you mean, everyone?" Taking a sharp intake of breath and releasing it along with his pent-up frustration, Gaara pressed his eyes shut and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. There was a dull throb manifesting at the back of his head, slowly but surely developing into what he could only pass off as a killer migraine. At the sound of weak protests, Gaara raised a hand and kept his temper in check before giving his friend a half-lidded glare.

"Naruto", he began, voice dull and low and strained with exasperation, "I didn't want a party. I'm exhausted and I need sleep because I have work tomorrow. Why would anyone think—whose plan was it to throw me a surprise party?"

Crestfallen, Naruto looked down, scowling defiantly. "Mine." He muttered, reluctantly glancing up and blinking in surprise when he was met by a pair of wide aquamarine eyes and an expression of disbelief. Confused, Naruto stared at the redhead, waiting for the imminent violent reaction. After a moment passed with Gaara still gaping at him, Naruto finally cleared his throat, waving a hand in front of the Kazekage's face to break the awkwardness. "Oi! You still with me or what?"

"Yes." Gaara answered hoarsely, blinking twice as if snapping out of a daze. He stared at the blonde and at once, his face crumpled, guilt flashing through his eyes. "It was…yours." The redhead repeated numbly, his shoulders sagging lower in shame at Naruto's careful nod. "Naruto—"

"No, don't start—"

"—why?"

At the whispered question, Naruto gawked at him in stupor, mouth open and blonde eyebrows furrowed in what seemed like offense. "_Why_?" Naruto growled out after a split second, glaring accusingly at Gaara and balling his fists by his sides. "Because you're depressed and I'm your friend, you asshole!" He snarled angrily, throwing his arms up in frustration when the latter gave no other response aside from a questioning grunt. "You think I don't see that? _You think none of us could see that?_ Gaara, we're your friends! We're not stupid. And we do _so _care, fucker!" The blonde raged out, huffing moodily and crossing his arms as he kept his glare pinned on Gaara.

Tense silence dawned between them and as the anger slowly drained out of Naruto, the blonde let loose a fed up sigh. "It's your birthday." Naruto started, leveling Gaara with a stern look. "You're supposed to at least be a little happy—"

"You know why that's not possible—"

"Oh, I know exactly why." Naruto retorted, his gaze unwavering even when Gaara matched his stare with a hard glower of his own. "And your reasoning is stupid. Just stop it, Gaara. You're torturing yourself over all of this—"

"Why do you care? I deserve it." Gaara snapped.

"No, you don't." Naruto ground out.

"It was my fault, Naruto."

"Was it now?"

"_Yes._"

"I bet Katana-chan didn't think so."

Freezing in his spot as the girl's name was mentioned, Gaara sucked in a ragged breath and balled his fists by his side, fighting the urge to teleport using his sand and vanish with the cold breeze, to do anything just so he could escape the conversation he was stuck in. Giving his friend a weak glare, Gaara raised his head, cursing the crack in his voice as he said, "Does she? She's not even conscious enough to tell me that herself." Casting his misty gaze out into the dark sky, a bitter scoff left the redhead, the muscles in his jaw flexing into order to push back the stinging of his weary eyes.

"It was my fault. If I had been more careful…" He rasped out, defeated and utterly spent. Shaking his head, Gaara inhaled deeply, his lungs burning with the painfully cold air, "Nobody could convince me otherwise."

"She could." Naruto mumbled out of the blue, startling Gaara into glancing back at him. Cerulean eyes blinked once, a knowing look placed on Naruto's unusually serene expression. "Once she wakes up, that is."

Gaara swallowed the painful lump growing in his throat as he looked at the boy, his lips trembling slightly as he asked, "You still think she's going to wake up?"

"Yeah." Naruto replied, leaving no room for doubt in his tone. "This isn't the first time this happened to her, y'know? But Katana-chan always wakes up, no matter what." Quirking a small smile as he watched Gaara relax little by little, slowly letting go of his resistance, Naruto jerked his head towards the entrance of the club, his grin widening as he added, "When Katana-chan wakes up, I'm telling on you. She's gonna punch you so hard in the face for even doubting her. A black eye would look _good _on you."

* * *

The club was as chaotic as Gaara had imagined it to be on the inside, crowded and stuffy, the mixture of alcohol and vaporized perfume lingering in the air. Naruto had pulled him into the mass of dancing people, expertly weaving his way through and gently shoving aside those that were a little too drunk and came too close for Gaara's comfort.

"Over there!" Naruto leaned in to shout into his ear, his usually loud voice drowned out by the booming music that sent vibrations deep within their bones. The blonde pointed a finger towards a long table situated at a darkened corner and sure enough, the Konoha Eleven—twelve, Gaara corrected mentally as he saw Uchiha Sasuke—and his brother and sister were all sitting together.

"There he is, the birthday boy!" Somebody from their table yelled in greeting and everyone craned their heads back, grinning and giving out their own acknowledgements at the pair. The redhead ducked his head in embarrassment, not used to the amount of warm attention he received from the group. Murmuring his gratitude and smiling hesitantly as several patted him on the back, Gaara sat himself down on the empty seat between his siblings, sighing in relief at Temari's one-armed hug.

"Sorry", his brother murmured next to him, bumping his shoulder gently against Gaara's, "we couldn't stop him, jan. Both Tem and I told them it was a bad idea. They wouldn't listen either way."

"The lazy-ass and his team practically dragged me inside." Temari grumbled in complaint from his other side.

"It's fine." Gaara sighed under his breath, politely returning the nod of acknowledgement he got from Hyuuga Neji and nodding once more at the bun-haired girl named Tenten when raised her sake cup in his direction with a grin. From across the table, two seats to the right, Naruto was busy being harassed by his own teammates, Haruno Sakura good-naturedly slugging him on the arm, the Uchiha snorting softly by the girl's side.

"Thank you for being here anyway." Gaara told his siblings.

His answer pulled a snort of amusement from Kankuro and curiously, Gaara gave him a lingering sideways glance, raising a faint eyebrow in question. "What?"

"Like there's any way we're lettin' you go all by yourself." His brother scoffed, earning a smile and an agreeing hum from Temari. "You can't possibly survive."

"You'll combust." Temari added, her turquoise gaze twinkling with mischief. "We don't want Naruto bringing us back drunken pieces of you."

"Your trust in me is overwhelming." Gaara told them sarcastically with a straight face, basking in the muffled laughter of his siblings and blinking innocently when Nara Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the three of them. The night went on easier than Gaara had expected it to be. The people in the table took turns greeting Gaara and chatter kept the group alive, shifting from one topic to another, never reaching a particularly serious or grave subject.

They seemed to have an endless supply of sake as well—where they got it from, Gaara didn't know—and as the time flew by, almost everyone in the table was either tipsy or pleasantly buzzed. At one point, the group played a silly little game called 'Spin the Bottle' and when the bottle's snout finally landed on the redhead himself, with Yamanaka Ino on the other end, the girl had dared him to take a shot. Glancing at his siblings as a silent plea for help had been futile, since Temari had simply shaken her head, refusing to intervene and looking far too amused by the turn of events; Kankuro had matched his begging glare with a faint smirk, swallowing a mouthful of his own drink before telling Gaara to "Just do it, jan."

"I don't drink." Gaara had tried to say right after he gave both his brother and sister a betrayed grimace. He stared warily at the small, clear glass they pushed in front of him, but whatever excuse he presented was met by a chorus of disagreements and more good-natured goading.

"Aw, come on, Gaara!"

"Kazekage-sama's not afraid of a little alcohol now, is he?"

"It really isn't that bad!"

"A-Anou, l-let's not force K-Kazekage-sama anything—"

"Nah, Hinata-chan! It's just a little bit of fun!"

"Hn."

Glowering half-heartedly at the Uchiha's taunt, Gaara averted his gaze and helplessly looked up at the ceiling, sighing quietly through his nose. "I'll regret this." He muttered in a whisper and gave everyone a sharp glare, scaring them into silence as he reached for the shot glass and threw it back. The sound of their group erupting into laughter and cheering rang inside his ears as the alcohol burned an acidic path down his throat, a bitter aftertaste left in the back of his tongue and a buzzing sensation developing inside his head.

"Cheers." He announced hoarsely, his coughing earning him more grins and chuckles.

As midnight pulled itself over their heads, the swarm of shinobi inside the club had slowly trickled away until their group was the only one left. Both Ino and Sakura had stood up without warning and made their way towards the back of the bar, bringing back with them a small, round cake with a single candle lit aflame. The lyrics of 'Happy Birthday' floated in the air around them as the group huddled closer and sang in soft, low tones, several pairs of eyes pinned on the stunned redhead in the middle. "Make a wish, Gaara." Naruto told him as the song ended and Gaara raised his head, glancing shortly at his friend before his aquamarine eyes fixed themselves on the burning candle.

Swallowing hard, the young man inhaled raggedly, a soft emotion flashing through his gaze. "I wish…" he hesitated, mesmerized by the way the tiny flame wavered once and then elongated upwards, the light brightening like a flicker of hope gathering strength. "I wish she'd wake up soon." He breathed out and as soon as the words left his mouth, a hushed silence dawned onto their table, making the redhead look up. As he did, Gaara stopped and blinked in surprise, the sight of the people around him sharing tender looks and sympathetic gazes at each other taking him aback. With the way they stared at the lone candle, it was almost as if they were wishing for the same thing.

From across the table, Naruto raised his glass, a watery smile plastered on his whiskered face. "To Katana." He said and Gaara's breath hitched in his throat as the people around the table followed the blonde, raising their glasses in suit. "To Katana." Gaara repeated gratefully, blowing out the flame as the Konoha Twelve and his siblings threw back their glasses.

* * *

The walk back to the medical camp was quieter than usual, the silent scrape of the redhead's footsteps against the dirt ground and his shallow breathing the only noises heard. His thoughts were a constant buzz inside his head, the wish repeating in his ears like an endless mantra. _'I wish she'd wake up soon…' _Shaking his head, Gaara pushed the thought to the back of his mind and found himself standing in front of Katana's tent. He took a minute to compose himself, letting the familiar feeling of grief wash over him before reaching out to push the flaps to the side and enter.

The sight that welcomed him made him halt in his tracks. Gaara blinked and frowned, uncertain on how to react to the man that sat on the edge of Katana's bed, one of his gloved hands combing through the girl's hair while the other held up an orange book that covered the rest of his face. Clearing his throat quietly, Gaara steeled himself as he earned the attention of the older man.

"Hatake-san." He said, nodding tentatively when the silver-haired jounin looked up at him.

"Ah, Kazekage-sama." The man returned with a wave and a polite smile under his mask, his visible eye crinkling at the side. Kakashi shut his book with an audible snap before pocketing it away from sight. "Sorry to barge in without warning. I haven't been around much lately, what with the clean-up, and I thought I'd pay my daughter a visit. I'm not being a bother, am I?"

"No." Gaara answered hastily, confused at the sudden nervousness that coursed through him. He'd never been nervous around Hatake Kakashi before, not even during the war and he had no reason to; the man had been nothing but kind to him, guiding him with being the Commander General as subtly as the jounin could.

"No, of course not. It's fine." He reassured, shifting in his place as he added, "And please, call me Gaara."

"Alright then, Gaara-kun."

Wordlessly, Gaara made his way further into the room and sat himself down in his usual corner, watching with curious eyes as the infamously strong jounin shamelessly fussed over the unconscious girl, smoothing out Katana's forehead and tucking the sheets around her form. Seeing the man around the girl was like seeing a different Hatake Kakashi in action. If Gaara hadn't seen him fight in the battlefield firsthand, the redhead would have never believed that the man sitting beside Katana was the very same shinobi who wreaked havoc and towed down enemy lines like an unstoppable, deadly hurricane.

Silence hung in the atmosphere as the lad scrutinized the way Kakashi gently brushed away the creases in Katana's hospital gown, humming a soft tune under his breath and gazing down at the brunette with a tender look in his eye. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity spent in quiet, the jounin glanced up at Gaara in question. "I heard you stayed here since the war had ended, taking care of her." Straightening up, Kakashi offered the younger man a grateful smile, "Thank you for that."

It wasn't until he uttered those words that Gaara finally understood the emotion that churned in the pit of his stomach and squeezed at his heart. It wasn't nervousness at all; it was guilt. Finding it impossible to meet the man's eyes as soon as the realization came to him, Gaara averted his gaze to the ground and felt shame bubbling deep inside him. "It's nothing to thank me for." He said, his hands reflexively clenching around the fabric of his pants. He took in a sharp breath and gathered his remaining courage to look up at the man as he admitted hoarsely, "It was my fault she's in that condition in the first place. Watching over her was the least I could do."

"Your fault?" Kakashi frowned in confusion as he regarded the young leader. Leaning forward to sit with his elbows propped up against his knees and his back hunched over, Kakashi raised an inquiring eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'your fault'?"

Despite how agonizing it was to relive the events that led up to Katana's coma, Gaara willed himself to open his mouth and explain, "It happened when we were fighting against Madara. We sent everyone away and I spoke to her personally to make sure she wouldn't be in the battlefield during the fight. She—Katana came out of nowhere." The redhead said, voice dropping low and his features tightening in a grimace. He took in a calming breath, dragging it out as a heavy sigh. "I told her to stay away, but…she came to help me all of a sudden and the tide of the battle turned against us before we could get away. In the end, I wasn't strong enough to keep her safe."

Risking a glance at the older man, Gaara's eyes turned apologetic and he gave Kakashi a pained frown. "I'm sorry." He said as sincerely as he could, bravely meeting the jounin's unwavering stare and watching as understanding slowly dawned to the older shinobi and pain clouded Kakashi's visible eye. "If I had known…If I'd been more careful, then maybe she wouldn't be in this situation. I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."

Clenching his fists, Gaara pressed his eyes shut and inhaled sharply, waiting for the inevitable response of anger. After all, when he'd relayed to the Raikage what had exactly happened to his daughter, the man's first reaction had been to blindly take a swing at him and bellow out profanities, almost beheading him if not for the fact that the other Kages had been present as well and had intervened just in time before A Yotsuki could kill the redhead.

The Raikage had long since forgiven him, of course, and even apologized for his previous overreaction, but the look of utter betrayal and disappointment that he sent Gaara at that particular moment would be forever carved into the boy's mind. With what had happened, Gaara knew Kakashi's reaction shouldn't be far behind. "It's not an excuse, but please know that I didn't mean for any of this to happen and if I could…I'd gladly take her place just so she wouldn't be suffering like this."

Instead of a death blow to the heart that Gaara expected would be delivered, the only thing he heard was the slight noise of Kakashi shifting in his seat and the jounin's long-suffering sigh that followed it closely. "So that's what happened, huh?" He heard the silver-haired man mutter and the lack of anger coloring the jounin's tone genuinely confused the redhead. Opening his eyes, Gaara frowned at the sight of Kakashi shaking his head dejectedly, looking down on his adoptive daughter with fond exasperation.

"I should've known…" Kakashi said again, this time brushing his fingers against a pale cheek.

Blinking twice and letting what happened—or the lack thereof—sink into his brain, Gaara concluded uncertainly, "You're not mad at me."

His statement made Kakashi glance up at him in surprise and the man furrowed his eyebrows in bewilderment. "No, not at all." Kakashi told him, igniting a wave of cool relief to wash over Gaara's tense system, "Should I be?"

"I…I don't know." The redhead admitted helplessly, feeling guilt gnaw painfully at his heart. "I think so."

"Why is that?"

"Because it was my carelessness that led to her being hurt like this." The redhead answered without missing a beat, the bitterness and self-blame clear as glass in his tone. To his utter surprise, instead of agreeing with him, Kakashi's gaze softened impossibly and the older man sighed, giving him a look that shared the same grief and guilt and had felt the same helplessness he was feeling since Katana's comatose.

"Gaara", Kakashi began soothingly, moving forward and hunching over in his seat once more, "it's not your fault. None of this is, and blaming you otherwise for my own convenience would be something Katana would never forgive me for doing."

"But, I—"

"Look, kiddo..."

Stopping his sentence at Kakashi's term of endearment, Gaara sucked in a broken breath as he realized that he had never been called 'kiddo' before, nor had he been ever treated like one. For most of his life, he had been considered 'that thing' or ' that monster' because he'd been too dangerous to be considered a kid; being termed 'kiddo' felt similarly like being drenched in ice water. With his mouth pressed into a firm line, Gaara stared at Kakashi despondently, waiting for the man to express himself.

"I understand what you're going through. Truly, I do." Kakashi said and not once did his stare waver. "I can't count how many times I've witnessed Katana lying unconscious on a hospital bed. And I can honestly tell you that despite what I believe in, I know it's not because of lack of trying to keep her safe from my part." Taking in a deep breath and making sure that the lad was hanging onto every word he said, Kakashi glanced down at the brunette and reached out to grasp a limp hand by Katana's side.

"You know", he began, stroking a thumb against the girl's hand as he contemplated, "there was one time, when Katana was eight years old, that she almost died under my watch." Kakashi's lone eye flickered up to calmly take in the look of alarm in the redhead's face.

"What happened?" Gaara asked cautiously, faint eyebrows furrowing in the slightest sign of interest.

"I've had her for almost three years then." Kakashi said softly, reminiscing the memory as he brushed his fingers fleetingly against Katana's healing bruises. "I was still in ANBU, and it didn't occur to me to resign until that certain moment. I've been assigned to lead a team in an S-rank mission to retrieve information valuable to Konoha. The mission was estimated to last for a week and it was the first time I had to hire someone to watch over her." Kakashi blew out a sudden breath and ruffled his already tousled silver hair.

"The mission failed terribly_. _We had a newbie in our team and the minute we were compromised, he'd panicked and was the first one to be killed in action. As the captain, I tried to save as many comrades as I could but in the end, only four of us were left, two severely wounded, and the enemy was hot in pursuit on our trails. It happened when we finally crossed the borders of Konoha and I was wounded and chakra-exhausted and I intentionally left myself behind in order for the rest of my team to run back and ask for back-up. I was cornered by five of them, all of jounin-level, and all of a sudden—"

"She arrived to help you." Gaara continued, a mixture of awe and horror written across his expression. The redhead swallowed thickly, shaking his head at the impossibility of it all. "She was…Katana was eight then."

"Yep." Kakashi confirmed with a sad chuckle and a nod, his eye blinking slowly as he stared at Katana, "She was eight and not even genin yet, but she took down two men on her own before everything went awry. I saved her just in time and ran as fast as my legs could take me, letting the back-up take care of the rest. The medics diagnosed her with severe internal bleeding, chakra exhaustion and several broken ribs. She was unconscious in the hospital for at least two weeks and in those two weeks", Kakashi breathed out, heavy and full of sudden grief, "I dropped my position in ANBU and never once left her side. In those two weeks, I've never hated myself more in my life."

Silence stretched out for a moment and as Kakashi took another lungful of air and released it as a sigh, he looked up at Gaara, waiting until the younger shinobi finally met his stare before continuing. "The minute Katana woke up, I almost sobbed like a child." Kakashi admitted softly, glancing down at the said girl and smiling at her despite her lack of response. "I hugged her and never wanted to let go. I felt so angry and so relieved at the same time and I remember scolding the life out of her as soon as I got my breath back."

Without warning, Kakashi's smile widened and he chuckled lowly under his breath. "You know what she told me?"

"What?" Gaara asked instantly, taken aback by the vulnerability that danced in the masked man's expression and yet amazed at the fact that Kakashi couldn't seem to care less.

"She called me an idiot, punched me in the arm." Kakashi said with a flash of nostalgia in his eyes, "And told me that she didn't care how much I scolded, the next time that I'd be in danger, she'd still jump in and save me." Smiling sadly at the redhead, Kakashi straightened up and made a move to stand. "You see, Katana has herself surrounded by dangerous men: Naruto, Sasuke, the Raikage-sama, you and me…and the scary thing is, we're not the only ones. But she doesn't care at all and it doesn't matter how much we want to keep her safe. To her, it'll always be us who needs protecting, instead of the other way around. And somehow, she's right." As soon as he was out of his seat, Kakashi bent down and murmured something incoherent near Katana's ear, brushing a tender kiss against her forehead before standing back up.

"You didn't hurt her, Gaara. Uchiha Madara did." Kakashi told him as a matter-of-factly, striding towards the entrance of the tent. "The decision to jump in and sacrifice herself in order to save you was hers alone. Blaming yourself for where she is right now would be disrespecting that decision. Okay?" He quirked a small smile at the redhead and raised an eyebrow questioningly, humming in satisfaction once Gaara gave a resigned nod.

"Oh!" The jounin recalled just as he was halfway out of the tent, halting in his tracks and suddenly turning on his heel once more to face Gaara. The redhead waited patiently as the older man dug around his pockets and took out his wallet, pulling out a folded piece of paper from inside the leather folds. "I almost forgot." Kakashi muttered, handing out the paper to Gaara with a polite smile. "Happy Birthday, Gaara-sama."

Gaara looked down at the offered thing, a small, folded piece of paper that was no larger than his palm. Tentatively, the redhead reached out to accept it. "Thank you." He said and was surprised by a warm hand that suddenly descended on the top of his head, the Kazekage glancing up to find Kakashi giving him a nod of fatherly acceptance.

"Take it easy, Gaara-kun." The man told him and finally exited the tent, leaving Gaara standing alone in the room with a folded piece of paper still in his grip. Curiously peering down at the thing in his hand, Gaara frowned and slowly opened it, his aquamarine eyes widening in a fraction of a second before it softened into something vulnerable.

'Katana.' Gaara breathed out wordlessly as he stared at the picture of the girl, his gaze sweeping across her bright, grey eyes and wide grin, her brown locks in a state of total disarray as she held a popsicle in one hand. The girl was leaning back against the tree trunk behind her and all around her was deep green grass, and the occasional yellow dandelion. She couldn't have been older than nine in the photo and something inside Gaara clenched painfully at the sight of the familiar smile. 'I wish you'd wake up soon…'

For the first time since the end of the war, Gaara fell asleep without trouble, the picture a warm presence inside the pocket that was placed directly above his heart.

* * *

_There was blood on his face, thick and warm and overwhelmingly dark, the scent so strong that it made him gag. The pain in his body was too much to bear, radiating deep in his bones and rendering him unable to move. The dust was everywhere; beneath his unresponsive hands, sticking to his sweat-soaked face and making his lungs itch with every inhale. Something hard was digging against his back, insistent and irritating, and with growing consciousness, Gaara willed himself to gasp._

'_Where am I?' was the first thing he asked himself, his jaw clenching as he heaved another effortful breath. The stale air that entered his lungs was cold and just as merciless as his surroundings. He pressed his eyes closed, stubbornly blinking away the stinging sensation. With his teeth gritted together and his eyes shut, he distractedly took note of the stiffness of his limbs, the soreness on his body indicating several bruises all over. The boy sucked in a stuttering inhale once more, grunting when his chest struggled against a heavy burden that was no doubt pressing down on him. _

_Prying his eyes open, Gaara stifled a groan and strained his head down, blinking his eyes into focus at the dead weight on his chest. 'What is…that?' Gaara grimaced in confusion, wondering what previous events could have led to his situation. There was nothing in his mind that seemed to help; it was as if all memories of a battle or a struggle had been erased from his head. _

_Despite the lack of knowledge, there was an insistent feeling of anxiety that gnawed on his chest, a sense of wrong that bothered him. But unable to think further, the redhead waited with ragged exhales for the blurriness to go away, staring feebly at the lump of brown until it finally shaped itself into something recognizable._

_He froze the minute he realized that there was a pale face resting on his chest, cheeks drained of color, blue lips painted dark with crimson blood. But what made his heart stop wasn't the blood, or the pallor, or the bruises that bloomed deep purple against the chalky white complexion. It was the pair of familiar grey eyes that stared at him, glassy and clouded and unblinking, no longer familiar at all. _

_Dead._

_The word shot through his heart like a bullet and he choked on a silent scream, aquamarine eyes widening despite the fact that he wanted no more than to shut his eyes and drown in the darkness and oblivion. His lungs were burning, his chest contracting painfully at the burst of emotions and the thoughts inside his head raged deafeningly like a thousand prisoners desperate to get out and run wild. _

_'No. No, no, no. This isn't how it's supposed to happen.' He heard himself say in the midst of the screaming inside his head as the sudden flash of memories assaulted him. 'This isn't how it is. She's not supposed to die.' His mouth opened on its own accord and his stuttering exhale became a full-blown gasp, his trembling voice bellowing out one name as he fought against the invisible bonds that restrained his limbs, "KATANA—!"_

"…out of it, Sabaku!"

The voice—a sharp, alarmed call—shattered the nightmare that was unfolding from in front of his very eyes and with a choked scream, Gaara bolted upright and thrashed against the invisible bonds enveloping him, his wide eyes blinking rapidly, desperately willing away the horror that still clung on his mind and threatened to squeeze his heart until it broke into pieces.

"Katana." He gasped out breathlessly, his heart hammering against his chest as a mantra of _'She's not supposed to die, she's not supposed to die' _repeated inside his head. Ignoring the way his shaky knees buckled under his weight when he stood, Gaara stumbled towards the bed, his clammy hand latching on to a wrist as he kept his eyes pinned on Katana's pale face.

There was a spilt second wherein he felt nothing—and his heart seemed to plummet down and out of his chest—but then there it was, the calm and rhythmic throb of a pulse. The dull drone of 'beep, beep, beep' from the heart machine registered inside the hollow of his ears and like a switch that was flicked to 'Off', the redhead's shoulders sagged down as panic drained out of his system and he closed his eyes tiredly. 'She's okay.' He thought as he righted his fast-paced breath using the beat of the girl's pulse, trying to get rid of the last bits of hysteria clinging to his mind.

'She's okay. Katana's alive.'

He allowed his mind to absorb the thought, drowning himself in the soft beat of Katana's pulse under his fingers and the 'beep, beep, beep' that echoed in the background. Slowly, the redhead got his breathing correct and his mind sorted out, and with a puzzled frown forming on his face, Gaara suddenly remembered the voice that woke him up. The lad raised his head and pivoted around, his muscles freezing as the strangest sight met his sleep-blurred eyes.

"What are you doing here, Uchiha?"

The dark-haired boy's wary glare on Gaara dissolved the second Gaara scowled firmly at him, cautiously narrowing his eyes at the newcomer. Sasuke let out a snort of disdain, crossing his arms and his legs as he leaned back against his chair. "Nice to see you too, Kazekage." Rolling his eyes at the dry glare that the redhead sent in his direction, Sasuke met the irritated aquamarine gaze with a bored look of his own. "If I'd known that you would be so ungrateful, maybe I shouldn't wake you up next time."

"You didn't answer my question." Gaara grimaced deeper at the cocky, holier-than-thou scoff that the Uchiha gave him as a response. He'd just woken up and already the start of his day was proving to be a challenging one. Letting out an inaudible sigh, Gaara stood up and reluctantly released his hold on Katana's wrist, dragging his feet toward the table.

He poured water into an empty bowl and washed his face and hands, all the while ignoring the onyx stare he knew was boring a hole in his back. He didn't understand what it was exactly that irritated him but for some unknown reason, the Uchiha made his temper rise in ways that nobody ever did by just existing in the same room.

"Don't make me ask again, Uchiha." He said as he toweled his face dry, a silent threat lingering unspoken at the end of his sentence. "And stop staring at me. It's disturbing."

Sasuke scoffed again. "Don't flatter yourself, Sabaku."

"Then stop doing it." Gaara said, this time pinning his glower on the boy. The Sharingan wielder returned the glare stubbornly but looked away with a grunt after a moment passed by. Sasuke waited until the redhead sat himself again and looked expectantly at him before he spoke in a dull tone. "The dobe asked me to give you this." The Uchiha picked up a brown paper bag from beside his chair and raised it into sight, dropping his arm back down after a minute. "Also, he wanted to make sure you ate properly this time, so I'm here to babysit you while you have your breakfast." He tossed the bag just as the redhead opened his mouth to protest, cutting off whatever Gaara had to say.

Sasuke smirked as the other boy reached for the paper bag in reflex, only for it to slip out of his grasp completely. Predictably though, the thing fell against a small disk of sand before it could reach the ground. Gaara's response to his amused grin was an unimpressed glower. T

here was silence from both parties as the redhead brought out the contents of the bag—a muffin, a shiny, red apple and a bottle of water—and began to eat, however reluctant the action may seem. As he finished the muffin, Gaara took the apple in hand and threw it at Sasuke without warning. "So. Why are you here?"

"I just told you. I'm here to make sure you eat. I didn't realize that was a thing now." Sasuke answered, easily catching the fruit with one hand. Maintaining the bored look he had on the Kazekage, the dark-haired boy bit into the apple, chewing thoughtfully and raising an eyebrow to match Gaara's challenging stare. "What?"

"You're lying." Gaara said, sipping a generous amount of water from the bottle and taking his time capping it close. "Both of us know you wouldn't listen to anything Naruto orders you to do. Much less anything tedious, like this." He informed Sasuke, meeting the onyx stare with his own. "Why are you really here?"

"How would you know for sure that I was lying? I was bored—"

"Lying." Gaara interrupted calmly. "You've done it twice, just now."

"Shut up, Sabaku."

Instead of following the offered suggestion, Gaara paused long enough to scrutinize the other shinobi, taking in the defensive tension in the Uchiha's body and the way he averted his gaze to look at anything but Katana. Come to think of it, Gaara hadn't seen him spare the girl on the bed so much as a fleeting glance. Understanding dawned to the redhead and his frown vanished, a stoic look taking over his face.

"You're here for Katana." He deadpanned, blinking at the idea and uncertain on how to react to it. "This is the first time you visited her, isn't it?"

There was more silence coming from the Uchiha's part and after a while of Gaara's patient staring, Sasuke finally looked at him again with a carefully blank mask, devoid of any visible emotion, placed over his face. "I've been busy." Sasuke excused and the reason he presented was so pathetic that Gaara didn't even pretend to buy it for a second. He crossed his arms and risked a glance at Katana, his gaze softening involuntarily. "Be it as it may", he muttered, staring quietly at the brunette and wishing—not for the first time—that it was him lying there instead of her, "I think Katana would have appreciated it if you'd visited sooner rather than after four months."

"What difference would it make?" Sasuke was quick to retort, bitterness creeping into his monotonous tone. "She's in a coma and unaware. It doesn't matter."

Despite the truth behind his statement, Gaara glared at him nonetheless, feeling the dull sting at his choice of words. Truth to be told, Gaara didn't like Uchiha Sasuke; _not one bit, _and he made it obvious. The shinobi—no matter how strong or gifted he was in the battlefield—was rude and selfish and inconsiderate, making him unworthy of any kind of respect, at least in the redhead's personal opinion. If asked to choose to hold a conversation between Uchiha Sasuke or a cactus, Gaara knew he would choose the inanimate, prickly plant without a moment's hesitation. The way he spoke of Katana brashly, without any regard for what the girl could've felt _if _she were awake, didn't help smoothen out the redhead's already ruffled view of him.

Pressing his mouth into a thin line of revulsion and deciding he was sick of tolerating any more of the Uchiha's callous statements, Gaara leaned back and allowed venom to finally escape him. "If it doesn't matter, then why are you here?"

Sasuke gave him an unreadable look, blinking slowly and looking thoroughly unaffected. It made Gaara's blood boil even more so. "You're right." The lad drawled out, pushing away from his chair and standing up, much to the redhead's confusion. "I shouldn't be here." Sasuke turned on his heel and strode towards the exit until a rope of sand wrapped around one of his legs and forced him to stop.

Craning his head back in the slightest way, Sasuke formed his mouth in a tight scowl. "Let go of me."

"No." Standing up, Gaara crossed his arms, glowering at the Uchiha's back. He allowed a tense minute to pass, carefully regarding the latter's hard breathing and stiff shoulders. "So you do care." Gaara murmured under his breath and from the way Sasuke tensed further, he knew he was right. "Why are you so afraid of showing that you care?"

"Oh, like you do?" Sasuke retorted bitingly, whipping his head around and finally letting anger to reflect on his face, his dark eyes burning cold. "Look at you, discovering love for the first time and clinging on to it like a desperate man. Emotion has made you _soft_, Kazekage." He hissed, spitting out his words in disgust. "Why would I want to follow your example—"

"That's a pathetic excuse and _you know it._" Gaara snarled in retaliation, undaunted by the silent promise of pain dancing in Sasuke's irate gaze. "Why can't you stop being insensitive for even just a moment? Katana is your teammate and she considers you one of her closest friends. She forgave you for everything you did—_don't tell me you can't spare her a part of your stone cold heart_."

"It wouldn't matter—"

"_Yes, _it would, _you wretched bastard_—"

"—at all. _Don't fuck with me, Sabaku_—"

"—_swear to god, Uchiha._ _I will break your bones until you—_"

The thick tension and haze of bloodlust lingering in the air was pierced through by a high-pitched noise that interrupted both young men in mid-insult, distracting Sasuke into finally looking at Katana, his eyes narrowed into a vicious glare and his mouth twisted into a grimace. Without any explanation, blood drained out of his Sasuke's face and horror took over his expression. Despite the rage that churned unpleasantly in his gut and made his ears ring, Gaara clenched his jaw at the shrill commotion that disrupted them and impatiently whirled around, aquamarine eyes swiftly searching for the source of the sound.

As soon as he did, the rage Gaara felt was forgotten and his heart jumped up to lodge itself in his throat, thundering uproariously. 'No…' Air vanished from the redhead's lungs and for a minute, the lad couldn't comprehend the situation from the thick panic and fear that clouded his mind. 'This isn't…supposed to happen.' His nightmare flashed once more behind his very eyes and shakily, Gaara realized that a part of it was happening that instant, mercilessly real. The lad kept on staring—frozen in fear and dumbstruck with shock—at the heart monitor that reflected off a single, endless line.

Katana's heart stopped.

And in some way, Gaara felt as if he died as well.

"Medic." He heard himself croak out weakly, Sasuke gasping gibberish from behind him. There was a shuffle of footsteps and then the sound of legs stumbling over one another before the flaps of the tent were pushed aside, letting in the biting cold breeze to enter. Gaara's alarmed shout for help echoed throughout as he ran out, Sasuke sprinting not far behind.

"MEDIC!"

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Extra Note: **...Whoops? Too much angst? So sorry to break your heart-Wait, what was that? I killed Katana?! :O

...Oh no. ;)

Sorry I'm not sorry. (insert evil laughter here) Don't drop me just yet! I swear it'll get better. I love you guys, seriously. Hold on, yeah?


End file.
